African swine fever has been confirmed on 67 farms in Brcko District, Bosnia's northern part, where about 1,800 animals of various categories were euthanized, said Kosta Kojic, head of the Veterinary Medicine Sector at the Brcko District Government's Department for Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry.

Results are expected for ten more properties, while euthanasia of animals is awaited at six more properties in the District.

“Unfortunately, the disease is spreading. Apart from Vucilovac, Krepsic and Plazulje, in recent days more and more infected animals have been registered in the areas of Trnjak and partially Slijepcevic in the eastern part of the District,” Kojic and added that there are only a few villages left in this area where the disease has not been confirmed.

According to him, the disease is infectious, spreads quickly and easily, primarily through contact. The disease occurs equally on individual farms and farms in the region, where it affects up to 80 percent of smaller and larger capacity farms.

“There are fewer chances for people who have good biosecurity measures, who have closed devices and disinfection barriers, and we hope that something will succeed and be preserved using these measures,” he said.

The most important thing is that the disease is not dangerous for humans, it affects only domestic and wild pigs and unfortunately the death rate goes up to 100 percent and other categories of animals do not get sick.

Over 25,000 animals were euthanised in Bosnia and Herzegovina due to the African swine fever, only in the northeastern town of Bijeljina 18,000, after the disease was detected in Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 21 this year, it was confirmed at a recent meeting discussing this issue.