Spain confirms fresh African swine fever cases in wild boar

Health authorities in Spain have confirmed 18 additional cases of African swine fever in wild boar near Cerdanyola del Vallès, deepening concern over the spread of the disease in Catalonia. The latest confirmations bring the total number of infected animals in the area to 47, all detected close to earlier cases reported around Barcelona, according to the regional Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food.

Source: pig333

fficials say the rise reflects intensified surveillance and tracing efforts rather than a sudden surge in infections. While more than 600 wild boar have been tested so far, only a small fraction have returned positive results, and authorities stress that all 55 pig farms in the region remain free of the virus. Agriculture Minister Òscar Ordeig described the situation as contained within wildlife, adding that no domestic pigs have been affected.

Scientific investigations are now focusing on the origin of the outbreak. Researchers at the Barcelona Institute for Research in Biomedicine report that the virus strain detected does not match any of the laboratory strains recently handled in their facilities, pointing to dozens of unique mutations and a major genetic deletion. The findings, which rule out a direct link to ongoing laboratory work, will be further reviewed by national and European reference laboratories.

Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture has already launched a broader investigation after early analysis suggested the virus may not have originated from animals or products circulating within the European Union. The strain involved belongs to a rare genetic group not currently present in EU outbreaks, reviving memories of the “Georgia 2007” strain often used in controlled research settings.

The development has unsettled authorities, as Spain had remained free of African swine fever for 30 years before the first detection in late November 2025. With the disease posing no risk to humans but severe economic consequences for the pork industry, vigilance remains high as surveillance continues across the region.