ALLEGED CASE OF AFRICAN SWINE FEVER IN YEREVAN NOT CONFIRMED

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 6 2007

YEREVAN, September 6. /ARKA/. The alleged case of African swine fever
in Yerevan has not got confirmation, Chief of the State Inspection
for Veterinary and Food Safety of the Armenian Ministry of Agriculture
Grigor Baghian said at the government briefing.

The diseased animals were found in one of pig-breeding farm in
the outskirts of the city. Yet, the initial diagnosis has not been
confirmed," he said.

Baghian pointed out that the virus of the African swine fever is not
dangerous for humans.

"It should be noted that a strict veterinary control is being
implemented in all the markets and appearance of infected meat on
the counters is not possible," Baghian said.

The first case of African swine fever was recorded on August 7 in
Dilijan. At the end of August the fact of disease among the pigs was
confirmed by the Russian specialists. Armenian regions having border
with Georgia are defined to form the risk zone: there the number of
died pigs reached 21,000.