BRANDENBURG, GERMANY – Since the Sept. 10 detection of a single case of African swine fever (ASF) in a wild boar in the German state of Brandenburg, in the district of Spree-Neisse, 12 additional cases were confirmed in the state as of Sept. 18, according to Germany’s Federal Research Institute for Animal Health. The latest cases were discovered in wild boar in Neuzelle in the Oder-Spree district, including one boar that was sick and euthanized, indicating the outbreak is still active, according to the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI).

Animal health officials believe the presence of the disease in live animals is a sign of more cases to come. After the initial discovery of the first case, a 15-kilometer quarantine area was established and the government imposed restrictions on the movement of farm animals to prevent the disease from spreading. Additional quarantines are likely as more cases are confirmed. 

“It is to be expected that further cases will be added in the course of the intensified search for fall game,” the FLI said. “The search for fall game will be used to precisely locate the infected area and to remove the carcasses as sources of infection for further feral pigs.”

Native to Africa, ASF has spread to Eastern European and Asian countries over the last two years. It is a hemorrhagic disease of pigs, warthogs, European wild boar and American feral pigs. ASF is highly contagious, and swine of all age groups are susceptible to it. Currently, there are no vaccines against the disease.