There have recently been two cases of wild boars infected with African swine fever in Belgium, in the neighbouring Luxembourg province. As a result, both Belgium and France are preparing preventive measures in case of further outbreak. If animals enter specific areas, they may be shot preventatively.
The question of shooting potentially-infected animals has now also arisen in Luxembourg. On Friday, the state council decided that infected animals would have to be killed in an emergency situation.
A task force comprising members from the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment has already met twice to keep an eye on the situation. The next step is to raise awareness amongst key groups, such as hunters, lorry drivers passing through the country, farmers, and private individuals.
One crucial point that people need to be made aware of is not to walk through certain areas that authorities have marked as no-go zones. Schneider took advantage of the opportunity to stress again that African swine fever is not dangerous to humans. However, it can be fatal to both wild boars and ordinary pigs.
Belgium: Two wild boars with African swine fever found in Luxembourg province
Swine fever: 70km long fence to be erected between Germany and Denmark
