Following the reports of cases of swine fever on the national territory, the Umbria Region has adopted a series of measures: this was announced by the councilor for health of the Umbria Region, Luca Coletto, recalling that in 2021 the Region established the Regional Working Group for ASL with the task of updating the Veterinary Services of the ASLs. In addition, a series of explanatory initiatives aimed at the citizen have been launched, one rapid communication to the ASLs competent for the territory of the indications and national provisions and the establishment of a special regional operational group with sector experts with the aim of making the action of the Veterinary Services on the territory more and more effective.
African swine fever (PSA) is a viral disease that, internationally, is recognized as the most important threat to the entire pig sector - explain from the Prevention Service of the Umbria Region - The disease that does not affect humans, manifests itself with important effects both in domestic farms and in wild populations but, currently, even exposure to the risk of introducing the infection alone can lead to consequences economic and trade restrictions. The geographic areas concerned, are already subject to restrictions on the marketing of pigs and products related to the pig sector. The National Reference Center for swine fever of the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute Umbria / Marche "Togo Rosati" last 7 January announced the confirmation of the presence of a case of African swine fever in a wild boar carcass found in the Municipality of Ovada, in province of Alessandria, in the Piedmont region.
“Regarding the health emergency, the Umbria Region since 2020 has activated a specific surveillance and prevention plan against African swine fever (ASF), updated and integrated in 2021, - explained Coletto - whose main guidelines are the surveillance of wild boar populations and pig farms, strict controls of biosecurity standards, which guarantee the health status of farms and products as well as the training of interested parties at various levels ". Surveillance of wild boar populations on the regional territory is carried out through the reporting and diagnostic control of all wild boars found dead (including deaths from road accidents) and of all suspected cases in order to allow the prompt detection of the infection. A single regional number (075 81391) in order to facilitate and support the reports of the discovery of wild boar carcasses to the Animal Health Veterinary Service of the Local Health Authority responsible for the area.
In the year 2021, no. 193 wild boar carcasses. The Regional Health and Welfare Directorate has set up a specific working group with a "One Health" approach, that is a health model based on the integration of different disciplines, with representatives of the Regional Service Forests, Mountains, Naturalistic Systems and Wildlife Hunting, of the Regional Energy, Environment, Waste Service, of theExperimental Zooprophylactic Institute Umbria / Marche and of the Local Health Units, which may be integrated, if necessary, with other institutional components, with the mandate to follow up on the initiatives already taken at national level to coordinate the management of wildlife and in particular of wild boar.
Currently, the surveillance of pig farms on the regional territory is implemented through the sampling of dead pigs in accordance with the indications of the Ministry of Health. In the year 2021, 128 animals were checked with negative results, thus exceeding the target assigned to Umbria. Starting from 2018, the Umbria Region has organized a series of refresher meetings relating to African swine fever, in order to inform and sensitize all stakeholders, such as the veterinarians of the Animal Health Services, the Trade Associations of pig breeders and Territorial Areas of Hunting. In 2020, in particular, dedicated information materials were developed and distributed for the various categories involved (veterinarians, travelers, breeders, hunters, citizens).