The Minister of Agriculture, Òscar Ordeig, confirmed in a press conference that the goal is to determine if the origin of the outbreak detected in the Cerdanyola del Vallès area came from the Catalan facilities. This report is separate from the ongoing audit at CReSA which is analyzing whether the protocols and security measures of the facilities are adequate.
“"The conclusions of the European report are essential for scientists to determine the best measures to deal with the outbreak, but we ask for prudence and warn against speculation."
So far, 16 wild boars have tested positive for ASF out of a hundred animals analyzed within the 6-kilometer perimeter of Cerdanyola del Vallès. The last three cases were located on Friday, December 12. The Minister gave a "very positive" assessment of public compliance with the restrictions, noting that the 112 emergency line received over 2,400 related calls since the alert began.
Regarding restrictions on access to the natural environment, these were relaxed on Monday, December 15, in the 79 municipalities forming the second protection radius (6 to 20 kilometers). However, all access limitations remain in Sant Cugat and the eleven towns within the closest radius (0 to 6 kilometers).
On the economic front, Ordeig announced that negotiations for market opening are progressing well. He highlighted that Japan has agreed to receive containers of pork products that were in transit, as it was proven that the production occurred before the outbreak. Hunters will also be asked to intensify culling efforts to control the wild boar population.
