Collserola wild boar deaths have prompted a major disease investigation, with Catalan authorities confirming that most of the 50 carcasses found do not have African swine fever.
This announcement from the Generalitat’s Minister of Agriculture, Òscar Ordeig, provides some relief to the region’s crucial pork sector, which had braced for a significant outbreak.
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However, the investigation into the cause of death continues.
Collserola Wild Boar Investigation Points to Human Factor
Minister Ordeig stated he is “almost certain” the disease, if confirmed in any animals, entered via human activity along transport routes like the AP-7 motorway. “We will know in the coming days,” he explained in an interview. “It did not enter via wild boar contagion; this was a human factor.” This theory aligns with warnings that the disease, endemic in Eastern Europe, could cross into Spain. Consequently, the government is urging major pork exporters to minimise impacts on jobs and the sector to prevent a wider economic contagion.
Furthermore, the government has announced an initial €10 million aid line for pig farmers, which could be doubled to €20 million, to help them face the consequences of the disease. Meanwhile, President Salvador Illa, speaking from an institutional trip in Mexico, promised to activate “necessary measures” to maintain the pork sector’s positioning. He met with Mexican officials to convey “a message of calm about the Catalan product.”
In a separate but related matter of regional governance, the government’s response to public safety and environmental incidents remains under scrutiny. For instance, recent extreme weather events have tested emergency response systems, as seen when Catalonia’s 112 emergency service battled a surge in calls during torrential rains.
Authorities continue to call for calm, emphasising that the “vast majority” of the Collserola wild boar deaths are not linked to the feared virus. The full results of the ongoing analysis are expected to provide definitive answers in the coming days.
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