Risk of swine fever from Romania – Ministry of Agriculture forms National Crisis Center

Romania is fighting classical swine fever. The country has had to destroy 50,000 infested animals this year. Due to the risk of the spreading of the disease, the Ministry of Agriculture of Serbia has formed the National Crisis Center, and border control is at the maximum.

The risk of having swine fever spread to Serbia is getting increasingly high, as the virus has spread from northwestern Romania to western and southeastern parts of the country. The Timisoara Region, only 100 km away from the Serbia border crossing, is now treated as a risk area.

– As of August 8, there are precisely 635 critical spots for domestic pigs and 30 cases among wild pigs. What's especially important for us is that those critical spots also belong to the area close to our country, the Arad area, so it's only a narrow border belt towards Romania that is free of the swine fever – says Sasa Ostojic of the National Crisis Staff of the Veterinary Directorate.

The customs officials are the first line of defense. Not even a meat sandwich can pass the border.

– None of the meat products are allowed. For example, not even sandwiches with meat products can be brought in. Several days ago, there was a case where two slabs of bacon were stopped at the border – explains the coordinator at the Vrsac customs outpost, Jovica Nikolajev.

No case has been recorded in Serbia as of yet, but livestock farmers are worried. The Ministry of Agriculture and the Veterinary Directorate have formed four regional crisis centers.

Pig farmers are advised not to allow unauthorized persons and non-employees to enter the farms and to notify the authorities if they find a dead animal.

– The order is not to get close to the carcasses, but to notify either the wildlife authorities or the veterinary service, which will take care of the carcass in an adequate manner, so that it doesn't pose any potential danger – emphasizes Zoran Ivanovic of the National Crisis Staff of the Veterinary Directorate.

However, it is wild pigs that are the biggest risk, which is why help is being sought from hunting associations as well.

Ministarstvo poljoprivrede, šumarstva i vodoprivrede Republike Srbije

Uprava za veterinu Republika Srbija

CARINARNICA VRŠAC

national Swine Fever Crisis Center

national Crisis Staff

classical swine fever

swine fever

swine fever in Romania

swine disease in Romania

Ministry of Agriculture

Petre Daea

fighting swine fever in Romania

swine disease

swines

pig meat

pork

wild pigs

Sasa Ostojic

Jovica Nikolajev

Zoran Ivanovic