A new study from the University of Minnesota says the risk of African Swine Fever in the U.S. has doubled since the outbreak began last year in China. Study co-author and Center for Animal Health and Food Safety Director Andres Perez says there’s a high probability the virus is already reaching U.S. borders, but he wasn’t expecting such a high risk. “We worked on assessing the risk before and after the expansion of African swine fever. We tried to get an estimate on the probability the virus is getting into the U.S. and found we may have an introduction at some point,” says Perez. “If it’s introduced, that doesn’t mean it will become an epidemic. The virus has to reach animals first.” African swine fever is not yet confirmed in the U.S. Perez reminds hog producers to be alert to any herd changes. “There is concern farmers may not recognize the virus in their herds.” Additional efforts are underway to learn more about African swine fever. Perez will be in Vietnam in the next few weeks studying disease control. Read more on the study.
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