African swine fever reaches Finland despite decade-long prevention effort

African swine fever has been detected in Finland despite more than 10 years of preventive work, Yle reports. The virus was found in July in Virolahti, in southeastern Finland.

The disease is fatal to pigs but does not infect humans or other animals. It threatens pork production and exports.

“It is a disappointment,” said Ari Berg, executive director of the Finnish Pig Producers association, after the disease reached Finland. He has been considering whether the years of prevention work should be viewed as a success or a failure.

Finland began preparing extensively for African swine fever after it spread to Estonia in 2014. Since then, hunting wild boar has been made easier, farms have strengthened their biosecurity measures and Customs food detection dogs have begun working to prevent the disease from entering the country through food products.

More than 100,000 pigs have died or been slaughtered because of African swine fever in Estonia over the past 10 years.

Eero Rautiainen, a senior government official at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, said the possibility of the disease reaching Finland had been anticipated.

“The risk has now materialised. That is life,” he said.

Rautiainen said cooperation had been important in the prevention effort from the beginning. The work has involved the ministry, the Finnish Food Authority and other authorities, hunters, and organisations representing the pig industry.

“Everyone has understood that each person has to do their part,” Rautiainen said.

Prevention measures have included improving biosecurity on pig farms, hunting wild boar and testing samples from hunted animals. Travellers have also been advised so that the disease would not enter Finland with meat products.

Farm biosecurity

Farm-level biosecurity consists of measures designed to prevent African swine fever from spreading into pig farms. Feeding pigs food waste is prohibited, farm doors are kept locked, and protective clothing and footwear must be changed before entering a pig facility.

Biosecurity also includes regular monitoring, such as the Biocheck assessment.

The current objective is to eliminate African swine fever from Finland. According to the Finnish Food Authority, restrictions introduced because of the disease will remain in place for at least several months.