African Swine Fever keeps spreading overseas and American officials work to keep it outside our borders. The disease is now only 400 miles from Australia. According to an Australian T.V. network, officials found new cases in Timor-Lester in smallholder pig farms.
Also over the weekend, Hungarian officials reported five new cases found in wild boar carcasses near Budapest. The cause of contamination in both countries is still unknown but many expect it came from visitors who arrived from areas infected by the disease.
As previously reported, 14 states are teaming up with the USDA to stage a practice drill for a potential African Swine Fever case in the United States.
The role-playing exercise will happen over 4 days and will include a “staged” ASF report, a statewide hog transportation freeze, deployment of animal disease investigators, and a mock quarantine of a Mississippi farm. The goal is to have a full reaction within 24 hours of the “pretend” ASF notice. Iowa Secretary Of Agriculture, Mike Naig, says the practice run is all about exercising plans and identifying any possible gaps.
