African Swine Fever: State of emergency in three districts in Bulgaria
The governors of Bulgaria’s districts of Pleven and Razgrad have followed Rousse in declaring a state of emergency because of the outbreaks of African Swine Fever.
Pleven regional governor Miroslav Petrov declared an emergency of July 24 because of outbreaks of African Swine Fever on private farms in the municipalities of Gulyantsi, Nikopol, Levski and Belene.
The district food safety directorate has been instructed to co-ordinate activities related to the culling of pigs in the affected areas.
Police have been told to guard all entry and exit points of populated areas where outbreaks of African Swine Fever have been registered. The district governor ordered mayors in the Pleven district to co-operate fully with the operation.
Military personnel may be called out to assist.
The state of emergency in the district of Pleven will continue until July 31 and may be extended if necessary.
The state of emergency in Rousse also is to continue until July 31 and be extended if necessary.
Razgrad declared an emergency because of the risk of outbreaks of African Swine Fever.
“The situation is complicated, the region is in the eye of the storm, around us there are outbreaks in Rousse, Turgovishte and Silistra, it is a sufficiently alarming signal to take urgent measures and to be able to respond to a situation that can change at any moment,” district governor of Razgrad Gunay Hyusmen said, Bulgarian National Radio reported.
The state of emergency in Razgrad will continue until July 30 inclusive.
In the municipality of Isperih, joint inspections by veterinarians and police are being carried at places where there is information of unauthorised rearing of “back yard” pigs, the aim being to destroy unregistered animals.
On July 24, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency announced confirmation of an outbreak of African Swine Fever at an industrial pig farm in the Rousse district, holding 40 000 pigs. As was done in the case of an earlier outbreak in Rousse, at an industrial farm with 17 000 pigs, all will be culled.
(Archive photo: Scott Bauer, USDA)
