Epidemic hazard

A total of 13 African swine fever (ASF) cases have been officially confirmed in late November 2025 in wild boars found dead in Catalonia, Spain, representing the first occurrence of the disease in the country since 1994. Authorities have informed that a genetic analysis has shown that the ASF virus involved is different from all others currently circulating in the EU, causing concern among media about the possibility that the disease may have leaked from a research facility in the province. An RFI has been sent to EpiCore members in the area to support the verification of this information. The EpiCore network has promptly informed that the local authorities are currently responding to this outbreak alarming the pork industry and triggering international trade restrictions. Based on the latest update available, as of Dec 13, 2025 a total of 16 ASF positive cases have been detected in wild boars, all within a 6 km radius in Collserola area. No cases have been found on pig farms, although 55 holdings remain under surveillance. To prevent further spread of the virus, restrictions have been imposed by the local authorities within a 20 km radius, and 30,000 healthy pigs are being culled. In addition, an economic aid of up to €20 million has been approved. Other measures implemented include the closure of access to the natural areas, suspension of hunting and forestry work, prohibition of any activity on rural land for biosafety reasons, and the installation of barriers and traps to control the wild boar population. A detailed description of outbreak and control measures implemented is available online (cf. sources). The network also informed that the source of this ASF outbreak is to be determined as investigations are ongoing and an interim report with preliminary results is expected to be released soon. Based on the feedback collected so far, initially the main hypothesis considered was that the source could be contaminated food items from other countries thrown away close to a main road where the first dead wild boars was identified. However, the possibility of a laboratory being the source started to be considered when the strain detected in this outbreak resulted to be commonly used in ASF experimental work. The Animal Health Research Center (CReSA) is the public research institute that has been suspected to be involved, mainly because of the proximity to where all cases have been identified and to the fact that some maintenance works carried out recently may have posed biosafety concerns. To date, local authorities have stated that "no incident that could have affected biosafety has occurred in relation to this lab facility however recently a national media source has revealed that, according to documents obtained from the National Biosafety Commission, CReSA had scheduled at least two experiments with the pathogen using a genetically modified ASF virus close to when the first infected wild boar was discovered. A report from this research initiative outlined that all biosafety measures to prevent any virus release into the environment have been taken during these experiments. The RFI has been supported by relevant contributions informing on the ongoing investigation in relation this event and based on reliable sources of information and national media reports quoting national biosafety authorities. Despite that, there has been so far no official confirmation about this ASF outbreak being related to research activities ongoing in the area: this summary may be updated in case of new relevant updates received about the investigation in the coming days.