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In the area affected by African swine fever (ASF) in southwestern Westphalia, an additional protective fence is being erected within Restricted Zone II. Together with the fully fenced-in core area, this creates a double fence, which is a key measure for containing and eradicating ASF in the region. The fencing follows the geographical boundaries of Restricted Zone II. This is intended to prevent further spread of the disease through transmission from the core area. At the same time, the fencing allows for increased hunting within Restricted Zone II and limits the risk of further transmission of the disease due to game movement caused by hunting.
The districts of Olpe, Siegen-Wittgenstein, and Hochsauerland will issue general orders this week to expand the ASF protective fencing in Restricted Zone II.
Search teams with specially trained carcass detection dogs continue to operate daily in the ASF-affected area, and drones are also assisting in the detection of wild boars.
Intensified hunting of wild boars to reduce the wild boar population is taking place within the outbreak area, with the exception of areas where wild boars have recently been found, where a hunting ban is in effect.
Since the first discovery of a wild boar that had died from ASF near Kirchhundem in the district of Olpe in June 2025, wild boars that have been hunted or found dead have been tested for the ASF virus as part of a statewide monitoring program. To date, approximately 44,400 animals have tested negative statewide. 520 animals have tested positive in the districts of Olpe, Siegen-Wittgenstein, and sporadically in the Hochsauerland district. Currently, there is another ASF-positive case in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district near Kreuztal-Littfeld. The Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), the Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, has confirmed the suspected case. The location where the dead sow was found is within the current Restricted Zone II.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Protection continues to urge farmers with pig operations to pay particular attention to the established biosecurity measures designed to protect domestic pig herds from ASF, especially at this time. Hobby farmers are also urged to exercise the utmost caution.
As a key component in the fight against ASF, hunters are once again urged to intensify their hunting of wild boars to further reduce the wild boar population in the affected areas. This hunting is carried out based on individual hunting plans developed by the affected districts.
April 15, 2026/ MLV NRW/ Germany.
https://www.mlv.nrw.de
