The European Commission has officially declared the swine fever outbreak extinguished in the surveillance area established for a diameter of 15 kilometers from the Dorgali farm where, in September, the presence of genotype 2 was found in three animals. The decision was voted on yesterday and will be formally published in the European Official Journal next week.
«The most important aspect – declares the President of the Region, Christian Solinas – derives from the fact that, unlike what was foreseen for these cases, the passage for a year to zone 3, the maximum restriction, was averted for the area affected by the outbreak . The territories that were included in the surveillance area in September will instead be placed partly in zone 1, the so-called "buffer" area close to zone 3, in which today there are still twelve municipalities in the pig regulation phase not registered, and partly in the so-called zone 0, where there are no restrictions and in which today most of the island's territory is located thanks to the important results obtained in Sardinia on the eradication of the virus and the path undertaken with the Ministry of Health and the European Commission".
«Brussels' decision to avoid a one-year 'purgatory' in the affected area - underlines the regional health councilor, Carlo Doria - derives from the recognition of the outbreak on the Dorgali farm as "occasional" and this was possible thanks to the important surveillance activity carried out in the area by the project unit for the eradication of swine fever with the veterinary services and to the collaboration of the hunting associations which allowed us to collect sufficient data to confirm that it was an outbreak of "import" remained limited. The evidence collected reassured the Commission, which therefore decided accordingly. In particular, thanks to the collaboration of the hunters it was possible to test around 350 wild boars, with negative results, confirming the lack of transmission of genotype 2 in the wild, which therefore remains free from swine fever as already certified by the European Commission itself at the end of October ».
«Today, once again, Brussels' decision rewards the Sardinian model in the fight against African swine fever », conclude President Solinas and Councilor Doria.
(Unioneonline/D)
