February 14 (BTA) - African swine fever has been diagnosed in wild boars in Pernik Region, the regional administration reported on Monday. It quoted Mihail Bozhilov of the Regional Food Safety Directorate as saying at an extraordinary meeting of the local Epizootics Commission that the first three cases were detected at the beginning of the year near Kalotintsi, where the infected boars were eventually culled.

Six dead boars were found near Bosnek. Another three infected animals of that species were discovered by hunters in the region. African swine fever has not been diagnosed in subsistence farms in Pernik Region. "The situation is serious and calls for a serious attitude on the part of farmers to prevent the emergence of hotspots of the disease," Bozhilov said.

Regional Governor Kiril Stoev ordered municipal epizootics commissions to hold extraordinary meetings within two weeks. He asked anyone who notices a dead animal to notify the competent authorities. MY/VE

Source: Pernik