German farmers have been ordered to enact a series of crisis measures after the discovery of the country’s first case of African swine fever (ASF). While ASF poses no immediate danger to humans, it can be spread quickly by animals and humans and is usually fatal in farm pigs and wild boars. Asia is a huge market for German pig farmers, worth billions of euros. Picnickers are being urged to take remains of meat products home rather than throw them into bins which are often emptied by scavenging animals and birds. Undercooked or raw meat products such as dry-cured ham and salami are a main source of the infection.

Source: The Guardian September 10, 2020 15:56 UTC