The national food safety authority confirmed the presence of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar yesterday (13 February).

In August Bulgaria reported its first outbreak of African swine fever among backyard pigs in Tutrakantsi, close to the border with Romania.

Seven infected animals were found at one farm in the northeastern village of Tutrakantsi and tests confirmed the virus, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency said. All 23 pigs in the village were culled and a 3-kilometre quarantine zone was established around the village.

It is only six months since Bulgaria erected a fence on its land border with Romania in an attempt to prevent the crossing of potentially-infected wild boars from bringing the disease into Bulgarian territory.

African swine fever is a highly contagious disease that affects pigs and wild boar. It does not affect humans.