Hungary reports African swine fever in domestic pigs for first time
Tweet
Share
E-mail
Pigs are seen on a pig farm in Rabacsecseny, Hungary, May 31, 2018. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo
BUDAPEST, June 4 (Reuters) - Hungarian authorities ordered the culling of 3,000 pigs on a farm after African swine fever was reported in domestic pigs for the first time in the country, the National Food Chain Safety Office said in a statement on Thursday.
The virus, which is harmless to humans but highly contagious and deadly in pigs, was reported on a farm in the village of Vallaj, in the eastern county of Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg.
"The culling of the herd of approximately 3,000 pigs is underway, and an epidemiological investigation to determine the origin of the infection and its possible further spread is also taking place," the food safety authority said.
It added that authorities have designated a protection and surveillance zone around the location.
African swine fever has spread from Africa to Europe and Asia, and has killed hundreds of millions of pigs, leading to trade restrictions and affecting global meat markets.
Cases have been detected and prompted the culling of pigs in recent years across Europe in Croatia, Spain, Germany, Italy and Estonia.
The food safety authority said that the outbreak could cause significant economic damage.
Hungary had about 2.9 million domestic pigs at the end of 2025, according to the website of the Central Statistics Office.
(Reporting by Anita Komuves;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!
You May Also Be Interested In
- China's industrial profit growth slows further as economic imbalances deepen
- Stocks cautious in Asia as oil gains, yields rise
- Dollar firms as US-Iran tensions lift oil, hawkish Fed bets build
Create E-mail Alert Related Categories
ReutersSign up for StreetInsider Free!
Receive full access to all new and archived articles, unlimited portfolio tracking, e-mail alerts, custom newswires and RSS feeds - and more!
