African Swine Fever: Norway To Build Fence Along Sweden Border To Prevent Outbreak

A fence might be built along the Norwegian-Swedish border to help prevent a potential outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) among the country's wild boar population following an outbreak in Sweden last year.

ASF Outbreak

Norway is implementing strict measures to prevent the spread of ASF in the country.

According to a plan published by Norway's food safety authority and environment agency, up to 2,000 wild boars will be slaughtered due to the "great danger" they pose to commercial pig farming.

In addition to monitoring the population and its impact, the organizations advocate increasing the efficiency of wild boar hunting, allowing meat from shot wild boars to be sold, and requiring producers to install a "boar-proof fence" to safeguard pigs raised outside.

The government is also installing a fence on the Norwegian side of the border to keep boars from entering the country from Sweden, where the population is estimated to reach up to 300,000.

Denmark successfully reduced its wild boar population after building a barrier along the border with Germany.

The disease was discovered in dead wild boars near Fagersta, 90 miles (145 kilometers) north-west of Stockholm, in August and September.

ASF is a viral disease that is almost invariably deadly in pigs and wild boar. Long thought to be indigenous to Africa, the rest of the globe has become aware of the problem in recent decades. It poses a significant threat to pig farming, causing mortality as early as four days after infection and being easily transmitted through contact with animal bodily fluids, including exhaled saliva droplets.

There is currently a "zero" risk of swine fever in Sweden, as the last wild pig to test positive died in September, and the government stressed that the disease is not actively spreading in the country.

The ASF has been present throughout Europe since 2007, and within the European Union states since 2014.

New And Strengthened Measure

Geir Pollestad, Norway's agriculture and food minister, announced earlier this month that officials were working on "new and strengthened measures" to reduce wild boar populations as much as possible.

"If we get swine fever in Norway, it will have major consequences for those involved in pig production, but will also place major restrictions on the ability to hunt, [perform] forest operations and engage in outdoor activities in the areas affected by the infection," he said.

Norway's greatest wild boar population is in Østfold, a county in the south-east that borders Sweden. However, they have also been sighted in Innlandet, an agricultural county bordering Østfold, and farther north.

Norway's senior veterinary officer, Ole-Herman Tronerud, said a fence on the border with Sweden could have an impact on wild boar population numbers, but "a lot of investigating and information gathering" was required first.

"We have stated that the infection risk for ASF to Norway hasn't increased as a result of the outbreak in Sweden in the short term, nor in the long term, as long as the outbreak can be contained in Sweden," he added.

There has never been an effective vaccine against the disease, and the only way to control its spread has been through strict biocontrol measures, including the rapid culling of livestock.