Italian authorities take steps to curb African swine fever outbreak in Rome

By Baris Seckin

ROME (AA) – Italian officials are taking steps to prevent African swine fever from spreading after the disease was found in wild boars in northern Rome, local media reported on Monday.

The city of Rome and the administration of the Lazio region have prohibited picnicking in parks and green areas in areas near where the swine roam, while garbage cans in surrounding settlements are being fenced in, according to the media reports.

Authorities also put up nets in some areas to prevent wild boars from entering the city.

Locals have also been asked to contact authorities if they come across any dead or sick boars.

Officials have also begun mapping garbage bins in northwestern Rome where wild boars are present to declare these areas “red zones.”

At a panel discussion at the University of Pisa, 264 kilometers (164 miles) northwest of Rome, Andrea Costa, a Health Ministry undersecretary, said swine fever does not pose a public threat.

But he also stressed the urgency of the problem, citing the need for "exceptional measures" owing to the high number of wild boars in Italy.

Some 23,000 wild boars are estimated to live around the capital, according to data from the Italian Farmers' Association (Coldiretti).