The Finnish government has introduced stronger measures to contain the spread of African swine fever (ASF) after the disease continued to spread among wild boar in southeastern Finland.
The government announced the measures as the number of confirmed cases increased following the country’s first detection of the disease in late July.
According to the Finnish Food Authority, 36 cases had been identified by August 28, all in southeastern Finland. A new infected wild boar was also confirmed in Hirvikoski, Pyhtää, prompting authorities to expand the infected zone westward by about 40 kilometres.
African swine fever is a highly contagious viral disease that affects domestic pigs and wild boar. It does not infect humans, but it can have devastating consequences for pig populations and the pork industry, with mortality in affected pigs and wild boar potentially approaching 100 per cent.
One of the government’s new measures is an increase in the financial reward for hunters who submit samples from hunted wild boar outside the infected area. The payment will rise from €50 to €500 until the end of 2026.
Authorities hope the higher reward will encourage increased hunting and sampling of wild boar in areas outside the infection zone, helping officials detect and eliminate the disease before it spreads further.
Hunting will also be permitted in protected areas and national parks when necessary to control the spread of the disease.
The government said it would strengthen monitoring, sampling and operational measures, while considering additional actions recommended by the Finnish Food Authority.
Authorities are also prepared to fence off the core infection area if necessary. The aim would be to restrict the movement of wild boar and reduce the possibility of the virus reaching new areas.
The Finnish Food Authority has already established an infected zone in southeastern Finland, while restrictions have been introduced on the movement of wild-boar meat, animal products and related materials from the affected area.
The latest expansion of the infected zone includes Kotka, Hamina and Pyhtää, as well as parts of Loviisa, Lapinjärvi and Kouvola.
The outbreak is also creating economic concerns for Finland’s agricultural and forestry sectors. The government said it would assess the regional economic effects of the disease and provide funding for further measures where necessary.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Sari Essayah said combating ASF had become a shared priority for the government and that sufficient resources would be made available to prevent the disease from becoming established in Finland.
The outbreak has also affected international trade. Finland has faced restrictions concerning exports of pork and pork products to countries outside the European Union, although trade from areas outside the restricted zone can continue subject to the applicable conditions.
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