Almost 13,000 domestic pigs in Viljandi, Tartu, and Rapla counties have been or are in the process of being culled due to ASF. Pig farmers say the situation is tense and infected wild boars are increasingly found near farming areas.

Kaubi Farm in Jõgeva County, which has 3,500 animals, follows all the biosecurity measures year-round. But that does not mean it is protected from the disease.

"It's incredibly sad, depressing, and it has a psychological impact on all our pig farmers. None of us are immune," Varpo Vare, head of animal husbandry at Kaubi Farm, told "Aktuaalne kaamera."

"We've been on alert all these years. All the methods have been in use — vehicle disinfection, downtime, disinfectant barriers, and zero tolerance for entering the forest. This is the worst thing that can happen. Our employees, none of them go into the forest, no one even wants to go, not just the employees but also their family members."

Meelis Laande, board member of Atria Farmid OÜ told the show "We have farms in several counties. In Jõgeva County, for example, there are already quite a few signs of wild boars being infected. We are also in Põlva County, Tartu County, and additionally Viljandi County. We're very concerned."

Both Laande and the PTA say ASF is spreading more intensively this year.

Spreading to new counties

Olev Kalda, head of the PTA's Animal Health and Welfare Department, called the situation "quite serious." The disease has spread to Tartu, Rapla, Jõgeva and Järva counties, where it has not been seen for years.

"There is no longer any region in Estonia where animal keepers, especially pig farmers, should not be extremely cautious. The number of positive cases among wild boars has already reached 65 animals. More than a quarter of those were registered in July. We have mainly examined dead animals as indicators, and about 70 percent of them were infected with the virus," Kalda added.

The PTA says most of the responsibility lies with animal keepers, but it is also important to limit the number of wild boars.

Tartu Hunting Club said hunters are currently culling as many as possible. Attention is also being given to disinfecting clothing and footwear. However, wild boars are on the move, and hunting them is time-consuming.

To help stop the spread of the disease, Tõnu Peterson, executive director of the Tartu Hunting Club, says that in addition to hunters, berry and mushroom pickers should also disinfect their clothes and footwear. The same goes for those working in the forestry industry.

"Forestry workers definitely need help, and there should be state support to make that possible. A forestry worker might drive his tractor through the forest, not even notice anything, and the next thing you know, he's in another county carrying the virus and spreading it," said Peterson.

Meat prices not affected

Both Laande and Nõo Meat Factory, the largest locally owned meat industry in Estonia, said meat prices are not affected.

"If the current situation remains as it is, I believe it will not have a very critical or significant impact on the meat market, because we have to keep in mind that Estonia's meat production is relatively modest compared to the European economic area, and the number of pigs affected in the latest cases makes up only an estimated one to 2 percent of Estonia's total pig population. Of course, this estimate is based on a bold assumption that no more cases of the virus will emerge," said Ragnar Loova, CEO of Nõo Meat Factory.

The PTA said the spread of the ASP is expected to continue until the beginning of fall.

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