African swine fever outbreak investigations have examined six research centres and companies working with the virus, Catalan President Salvador Illa has revealed.
He made the statement during a parliamentary session on Wednesday, defending his government’s handling of the crisis that has affected wild boar populations near Barcelona.
President Illa stated that, on expert recommendation, authorities have investigated all samples from the six entities.
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Consequently, sequencing work was divided between the Biomedical Research Institute and the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture’s reference laboratory. “With the data we have today, nothing allows us to conclude that the virus comes from the facilities of any of the laboratories or centres working with this virus,” Illa asserted, while acknowledging investigations remain ongoing.
African Swine Fever Outbreak Management Scrutinised
The political session was dominated by the outbreak, with Illa facing criticism from opposition parties. They focused on his initial absence during the crisis and the potential laboratory origin theory. Furthermore, he admitted an internal suspicion emerged on 26 November, two days before the first positive case was officially confirmed.
The outbreak has now affected 26 wild boars across a 20-kilometre radius encompassing 91 municipalities. Meanwhile, Illa highlighted that the outbreak is contained and 75% of non-EU markets remain open for Catalan pork exports. He also announced ten million euros in aid for the sector, expandable to twenty million, alongside a credit line of up to fifty million euros from the ICF.
Regarding the wild boar population, estimated at 180,000, the government aims to halve the numbers. However, Illa cautioned that resolving the crisis would not happen within a month. The political fallout, therefore, continues alongside the epidemiological response.
Opposition parties strongly criticised the initial promotion of a contaminated feed truck theory. Junts per Catalunya’s leader, Mònica Sales, described it as a “grave irresponsibility” that caused alarm. Similarly, other parties questioned the handling of information and the president’s decision to remain on a cultural trip to Mexico as the crisis unfolded.
Illa defended the feed truck hypothesis, citing a previous outbreak in Sardinia linked to that vector. He also expressed full confidence in the IRTA research centre’s protocols. The president insisted his trip to Mexico was necessary for cultural diplomacy and that he remained confident in his agriculture councillor, Òscar Ordeig.
The session also touched on broader political issues, including budget negotiations and the application of the amnesty law. According to recent economic reports, Catalonia’s strong growth underscores the importance of protecting key sectors like agriculture from such crises.
Export challenges were another key point. Illa noted that seven countries, including major markets like Japan, the Philippines, and Mexico, do not accept regionalisation of the disease. This means they ban pork from the entire country, not just the affected zone. China has also banned imports from the entire province of Barcelona.
The African swine fever outbreak has therefore created a complex challenge blending biosecurity, economic support, and political accountability. The full findings from the ongoing expert investigations are still awaited.
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