Bulgaria’s efforts to contain African swine fever in Varna show progress amid ongoing industry challenges

Bulgaria’s agriculture minister reports that the latest African swine fever outbreak in Varna is under control, as authorities reinforce biosecurity measures amid persistent threats to the pork industry since 2018.

Bulgaria’s agriculture minister said the latest African swine fever outbreak in Varna region is under control, stressing that officials are maintaining a sanitary cordon and reinforcing biosecurity measures around the affected farms.

Plamen Abravski made the remarks at the opening of the hunting season for migratory game, saying teams were already on the ground and that the virus had not spread beyond the holdings where it was detected. He added that the disease poses no risk to people, but remains highly dangerous for domestic and wild pigs because there is no treatment.

The comments come against a difficult backdrop for Bulgaria’s pork sector. The country has battled repeated African swine fever episodes since 2018, when the National Reference Laboratory confirmed cases in domestic pigs in the Varna area. In 2019, the European Commission warned that the disease was spreading rapidly in Bulgaria, with dozens of outbreaks and mass culling placing pressure on the industry. A year later, the food safety authorities were still reporting fresh infections, including at a major farm in Varna district.

Officials have repeatedly relied on protection zones, monitoring zones and tighter surveillance in hunting areas to limit transmission. The latest assessment suggests those containment steps are again being used to prevent a wider outbreak.

Source: Noah Wire Services