France renews its ASF prevention campaign

African swine fever (ASF) affects domestic pigs and wild boar in several European countries. Numerous cases have been detected in wild boar in northern Italy in regions bordering France. In mid-June, Germany confirmed six new cases of ASF in wild boar near Frankfurt, 100 kilometers from the border with France, with previous outbreaks in other regions.

ASF has serious economic consequences for farmers and the entire pork industry.

For this reason, the campaign includes specific messages for each of the players involved:

• International transporters: during their journeys, they are asked to dispose of leftovers from their meals in closed garbage cans provided for this purpose, to ensure that these leftovers are not consumed by wild boar. When transporting pigs, the vehicle must be cleaned and disinfected after unloading.
• Seasonal workers are asked to dispose of leftover pork products in closed garbage cans provided for this purpose.
• Nature users, especially hikers whose routes take them through foreign countries, are also encouraged to dispose of leftover pork products in closed garbage cans provided for this purpose.
• Owners of pigs in French overseas territories must avoid any contact between their animals and pork-based foods from Haiti or the Dominican Republic, where ASF is present, and which are banned from importation from these two ASF-infected countries.

Hunters, hikers, and pig and wild boar farmers are also urged to be vigilant.

Any suspicion of disease on a farm should be reported to a veterinarian and any wild boar found dead in the wild should be reported to the SAGIR network.

International sporting events and the risk of spreading ASF: A call for vigilance

This communication campaign is an opportunity to remind anyone likely to travel to and from Germany, especially vacationers and fans, of the essential measures to be taken to avoid importing the ASF virus into France:

• Do not bring pork or wild boar products into the country;
• On the way, dispose of leftovers in closed garbage cans designed for this purpose, to ensure that they are not eaten by wild boar (especially on freeway service areas surrounded by wooded areas).

The same precautionary measures are recommended for all international travelers expected in France this summer, particularly during the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.