RIGA, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Cases of African swine fever (ASF) in Latvia's wild boar population have decreased by nearly two thirds over the past year, the Baltic country's veterinary authority said Monday.
In the first ten months of this year, 357 wild boars tested positive for the deadly porcine infection, down from 961 in the same period a year ago, the Food and Veterinary Service said, citing lab test results. The dynamic suggests of an improving epidemiological situation, the veterinary authority said, adding that ASF cases have dropped as the size of the wild boar population has become significantly smaller, because all the ASF-stricker pigs have died and also thanks to active hunting.
"Since wild boars are the ASF source in nature and there is no vaccine against this disease, reducing the wild boar population is critical for fighting the disease," said Martins Serzants, a senior expert at the Food and Veterinary Service.
"By actively hunting wild boars and thus preventing the population from expanding again, there is a theoretical possibility to eradicate ASF and avoid a second wave of ASF epidemic in the future," Serzants said.
ASF outbreaks in domestic pigs in Latvia have dropped from ten cases in the full 2018 to one case so far this year.
