--- title: "Tuscany Becomes New Epicenter of African Swine Fever in Italy: 638 Infected Wild Boars and Threat to Farms" description: "Tuscany has become the main focus of African swine fever in Italy: 638 infected wild boars and at least two affected farms. The virus has already spread to 14 EU countries, and people risk becoming passive carriers." date: 2026-08-19T23:11:19.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/tuscany-african-swine-fever-italy-2026 tags: [african-swine-fever, italy, tuscany, wild-boar, efsa, eu-epidemic] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Tuscany Becomes New Epicenter of African Swine Fever in Italy: 638 Infected Wild Boars and Threat to Farms ![Farmer inspecting pigs in a pen amid the African swine fever threat in Tuscany, Italy](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/20/afrikanskaya-chuma-sviney-v-toskane-2026/afrikanskaya-chuma-sviney-v-toskane-2026-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - In Tuscany, from the beginning of 2026 to mid-August, 638 ASF cases were recorded among wild boars — the highest in Italy. - The virus affected at least two farms in Lucca and Pistoia after originating in the province of Massa-Carrara. - ASF is an EU Category A disease: animals are culled, there is no vaccine, and people can be passive carriers. - The EU already has 14 countries with ASF; according to EFSA data for 2025, the number of infected boars rose by 44% compared to 2024. 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. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [A new outbreak of African swine fever has been recorded in Tuscany, Italy.](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/italy-doi-mat-voi-dot-dich-ta-lon-chau-phi-moi-tai-toscana) - Основной источник цифр по Тоскане (638 случаев), провинциям и координации муниципалитетов; содержит терминологическую ошибку в названии болезни. - [African swine fever has spread across Italy, and the virus is also spreading in other EU countries](https://ru.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/08/19/swine-fever-in-italy) - Подтверждает общее распространение АЧС в Италии и в других странах ЕС, согласуется с данными EFSA о 14 затронутых странах. - [Swine fever detected on a farm with a herd of 9,000 in Põlva County](https://rus.delfi.ee/statja/120219576/v-pylvamaa-na-ferme-s-pogolovem-v-9000-osobey-obnaruzhena-chuma-sviney) - Подтверждено по источнику rus.delfi.ee - [Latvia culls more than 20,000 pigs](https://rus.delfi.ee/statja/120431578/v-latvii-likvidiruyut-bolee-20-tysyachi-sviney) - Подтверждено по источнику rus.delfi.ee ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Is African swine fever transmitted to humans? **A:** No, the virus is not transmitted to humans. However, people can act as passive carriers: contaminated dirt on shoes or wheels can trigger a new outbreak. ### Q: How many infected wild boars have been recorded in Tuscany? **A:** From the beginning of 2026 to mid-August, 638 infection cases among wild boars were registered in Tuscany — the highest number in Italy. ### Q: Is there a vaccine for ASF? **A:** No, there is no commercially available vaccine or treatment, so upon detection the disease requires the immediate culling of animals under the EU Category A protocol. ### Q: How many EU countries are affected by the virus? **A:** As of the end of July, the total number of affected EU countries reached 14: the virus returned to Spain after 31 years and appeared for the first time in Finland.