The United Nations' food agency is warning that an outbreak of African swine fever in Ukraine could spread to other countries, including Moldova, Kazakhstan, and Latvia.
The Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on August 21 that Ukrainian authorities have moved swiftly to contain the outbreak.
But the agency said that "while control measures appear to have temporarily halted the disease's spread," it has already "established a firm foothold in the Caucasus and poses an ongoing risk to neighboring areas."
The FAO said countries like Moldova, Kazakhstan, and Latvia, which have large pig populations raised on family farms and often weak biosecurity measures are "now at high risk of disease introduction."
Swine fever does not affect humans, but can devastate pig populations, killing many.
The Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on August 21 that Ukrainian authorities have moved swiftly to contain the outbreak.
But the agency said that "while control measures appear to have temporarily halted the disease's spread," it has already "established a firm foothold in the Caucasus and poses an ongoing risk to neighboring areas."
The FAO said countries like Moldova, Kazakhstan, and Latvia, which have large pig populations raised on family farms and often weak biosecurity measures are "now at high risk of disease introduction."
Swine fever does not affect humans, but can devastate pig populations, killing many.