The Tuscany region has turned into a new epicenter of African swine fever (ASF) in Italy. From the beginning of 2026 to mid-August, 638 infection cases were registered among wild boars in the region — the highest number in the country. The virus, which originated in the province of Massa-Carrara, quickly spread to the neighboring provinces of Lucca and Pistoia, affecting at least two pig farms. Photos from the farms show owners inspecting their herds against the backdrop of strict quarantine measures.

Coordination at the Municipal Level

To prevent further spread of the infection, the Association of Tuscan Municipalities, together with the regional government, held an emergency meeting with mayors. The goal is to standardize the response process: provincial operational teams now directly coordinate the collection of wild boar carcasses to avoid fragmented and contradictory measures between individual settlements. This approach is intended to close the "gray zones" where local authorities previously each acted according to their own scheme.

Why the Virus Is So Dangerous for Livestock

African swine fever is classified by the European Union as a Category A disease, requiring the immediate culling of animals upon detection. The pathogen is not transmitted to humans, but it causes enormous damage to livestock due to the absence of a commercially available vaccine or treatment. An additional risk is linked to the fact that people can act as "passive intermediate carriers": dirt contaminated with the virus on shoes or bicycle wheels after walks in nature can easily trigger a new outbreak. Regional authorities recommend thoroughly disinfecting personal items and strictly avoiding contact with wild boar carcasses.

Pressure on North-West Italy

The outbreak is placing significant pressure not only on Tuscany but also on the north-west of the country. By the end of July, 2,194 infected wild boars and 10 farm outbreaks had been registered in the Piedmont and Liguria regions. The combination of these figures shows that Italy is effectively facing two active foci, requiring simultaneous quarantine and logistical coordination.

European Context: 14 Countries at Risk

The situation in Italy reflects a general wave of outbreaks across the continent. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), in 2025 the number of wild boars in the EU infected with ASF reached 11,036 — 44% more than in 2024, while the number of outbreaks among domestic pigs rose by 76% (585 outbreaks). The virus also returned to Spain after 31 years and was recorded for the first time in Finland at the end of July, bringing the total number of affected EU countries to 14. EFSA emphasizes that passive surveillance — the search and inspection of dead or sick animals — remains a key tool for detecting and controlling the disease.

Contradictory Data

Cross-checking the sources revealed two caveats. First, one of the primary materials contains the incorrect name "arachnoid swine fever," which is a terminological inaccuracy: the correct name of the disease is African swine fever (ASF). Second, the aggregated EFSA figures (11,036 boars, 585 outbreaks) refer to 2025 and serve as context, whereas the regional data for Italy (638 cases in Tuscany, 2,194 in Piedmont and Liguria) refer to 2026. No direct discrepancies in figures between independent publications (vietnam.vn, euronews.com) were found, however, the exact current values for individual provinces are confirmed mainly by a single source, which requires cautious interpretation.