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Head of the State Food and Veterinary Service (VMVT) Jonas Milius says the disease has been spreading to central Lithuania, where large pig farm complexes are located. It is not excluded that Lithuania might address the European Union over the extension of buffer zones aimed against the disease.

Milius says it is difficult to forecast the duration of the disease spread because the situation of African swine fever in the neighbouring Belarus is unclear.

New cases of African swine fever were determined in the wild, even though the VMVT inspectors check the affected areas, test hunted or fallen boars and destroy them if needed.

Since the beginning of the year, 37 cases of African swine fever have been detected in wild animals and 6 cases in pig farms. A total of 62 infected boars and more than 19,000 pigs were destroyed.