Finland detects African swine fever for first time
First detection and response to African swine fever in Finland
Initial detection and confirmation process
July 31 (Reuters) - Finland has detected African swine fever for the first time after laboratory tests found the virus in three wild boar piglets in eastern Finland, the Finnish Food Authority said in a statement issued on Thursday.
Location of the outbreak
• The virus, which is harmless to humans but highly contagious and deadly in pigs, was detected in the municipality of Virolahti in the country's east near the Russian border.
Verification and containment measures
• The Finnish Food Authority will verify the result with the EU's reference laboratory for African swine fever in Spain, it said.
• Finland established an infection zone around the area where the finding was made, and the movement of pigs in the zone is restricted.
Background on wild boar population and disease spread
Wild boar population in Finland
• At the beginning of January 2026, there were an estimated 2,380 wild boars in the country, according to the Natural Resources Institute Finland.
Spread and impact of African swine fever
Global and regional spread
• African swine fever has spread from Africa to Europe and Asia, causing major losses in pig populations, triggering trade restrictions and affecting global meat markets.
Recent cases in Europe
• Cases have been detected and prompted the culling of pigs in recent years across Europe in Croatia, Spain, Germany, Italy, Estonia, Hungary and Serbia.
(Reporting by Elviira Luoma, editing by Terje Solsvik)
