Spain updates African swine fever cases in wild boars and pushes for veterinary public health specialty

Catalonia's official veterinary services reported eleven new African swine fever (PPA) cases in wild boars during week 26, bringing the cumulative total to 58 infected sites and 355 positive animals across thirteen municipalities, including Barcelona and surrounding areas. Control actions involved the capture of 328 boars, deployment of traps, perimeter closures, and the involvement of rural agents, police, hunters and specialized teams.

Separately, the Catalan Veterinary Council met with the regional Health Department to advance a proposal for a new Veterinary Public Health specialty. The initiative, backed by the national Veterinary Colleges council, seeks recognition of veterinarians in food safety, zoonosis control, environmental health and epidemiological surveillance. Under Royal Decree 589/2022, establishing the specialty requires endorsement from at least seven autonomous regions, prompting efforts to gather regional support before presenting the proposal to the Ministry of Health.