Dr. Egan Brockhoff, the Veterinary Counsel with the Canadian Pork Council said discovering African Swine Fever in a wild boar in Italy should remind how easily this virus can move. 
ASF genotype II appeared in a group of wild boars in northern Italy and new cases continue in wild boar in Germany. 
This virus, primarily a human-driven virus, is making giant geographical leaps occasionally and causing a lot of concern throughout the world. 
“The discovery of ASF genotype II in those wild boars in Northern Italy underscored for me how this virus can take large geographical leaps. The closest known positive to that location was approximately 800 kilometres away. So again, we’re in a situation where human and human activities present a risk.” 
People need to be conscious of this because that virus can now come across the ocean and move within the American hemisphere with the Dominican Republic and Haiti. 
“We do have a wild pig population in Canada and they are at risk, just like our backyard, just like our commercial pigs, all three classes or categories of our pigs are potentially exposed.” 
It would be highly concerning if Canada’s wild boar population got ASF because there is no control of the feral pig population. They are the most challenging population to manage and control. So Canada must do everything possible to keep this virus out of Canada and ideally out of all North America. 
Dr. Brockhoff said this big jump into Italy should serve as an important reminder that this virus is a human-driven disease and people need to be careful not to be the ones carrying the disease.  
Industry and government continue daily on both sides of the fence, efforts to keep the virus out of Canada, and planning and preparedness for what to do if the virus enters the country. 
“Every time we add a country or we add a region, it just continues to complicate things. For example, with the middle of winter here and a lot of Canadians and people from around the world wanting to go to those warmer spots for a vacation, there is potential exposure from many different fronts.” 
Looking around the world there is more virus, more opportunity for the virus to move. 
Canada continues to put in efforts at the borders including more detector dogs, still has significant restrictions, and awareness campaigns at airport and traveller level. 
“I spoke with several international guests that attended the Banff Pork Seminar who mentioned it’s good to see the Canadian signage at our airports but must remain vigilant if we’re going to keep this virus out.” •
— By Harry Siemens