Ukraine's State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Rights Protection in the past several days received confirmation of an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak recorded in Mykolaiv region.

According to a report on its website, on March 3, 2017, the virus was proved for a total of 18 pigs in a private household in Sokolivka (Mykolaiv region).

ASF was diagnosed during the examination of the selected samples of biological material of the pigs.

Measures are being taken to localize the disease on the site of the outbreak and prevent the spread of ASF pathogens.

The ASF virus is the causative agent of ASF. The virus causes a hemorrhagic fever with high mortality rates in pigs, but persistently infects its natural hosts, warthogs, bush pigs and soft ticks of the Ornithodoros genus, without any visible symptoms. There is currently no vaccine against ASF.