African swine fever (ASF) remains active across Europe in October 2026. Wild boar continue to account for most detections, while domestic-pig outbreaks remain concentrated mainly in south-eastern Europe. The latest developments include new wild-boar cases in Catalonia, continued spread in Finland and persistent circulation in northern Italy.
According to the latest European surveillance data available on 4 October, 816 outbreaks in domestic pigs and 6,613 notifications in wild boar had been reported since 1 January 2026. Compared with the previous assessment, this represented 83 additional domestic outbreaks and 66 additional wild-boar notifications.
Spain: Catalan total reaches 409 infected wild boar
Catalonia remains the most recent major focus of concern. On 8 October, regional authorities confirmed nine new ASF-positive wild boar in Barcelona province: five in Molins de Rei, two in El Papiol, one in Barcelona and one in Sant Cugat del Vallès. The new update brought the cumulative number of positive wild boar to 409 since the first detection on 26 November 2025.
The outbreak remains centred around the Barcelona area, with gradual spread around the initial infected zone.
Finland: the outbreak continues to expand
Finland detected its first ASF cases on 24 July 2026 in Virolahti, close to the Russian border. Two further detections from 22 and 23 September were added to the latest European assessment, bringing the Finnish total to 43 cases in 2026. A previous case in Pyhtää had already shown a westward extension of about 65 km along the coast.
The virus belongs to genotype II, genetic subgroup 3, but the precise route of introduction into Finland remains unknown.
Italy: persistent circulation in the north
Northern Italy remains one of the main areas of sustained wild-boar transmission. Recent detections continue in Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont and Liguria, with 13 additional notifications included in the latest European update. The four-week incidence has remained high, at around 120 wild-boar cases, and eastward spread remains a concern.
Domestic-pig outbreaks were also detected in Tuscany during the summer, at Comano and Pistoia.
Germany: fewer cases, but circulation continues
Germany continues to detect ASF mainly in wild boar, particularly in North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as Hesse, Saxony and Brandenburg. Since 1 January 2026, 712 wild-boar cases had been reported. Incidence has fallen in several areas compared with the spring and early summer peaks, but the virus remains established.
No new outbreak in domestic pigs has been reported since August 2024!
Romania remains a major domestic-pig hotspot
The situation is different in Romania, where the main concern remains domestic pigs. A recent outbreak in Buzău County affected a commercial farm with 5,720 pigs, underlining that ASF continues to threaten both backyard and large-scale production systems. Romania remains one of the largest contributors to domestic-pig outbreak notifications in Europe.
Poland and the Baltic states: incidence is falling
In Poland, wild-boar incidence has declined markedly since spring. After exceeding 300 cases over four weeks in March, it had fallen to 51 cases over the latest four-week period.
Lithuania has followed a similar downward trend, while Latvia remains around 30 cases over four weeks and Estonia below five.
Europe faces a shifting ASF landscape
The current European picture is mixed. In several long-affected countries, particularly Poland and Lithuania, reported wild-boar incidence is falling. But elsewhere, new geographic expansion is continuing, especially in Spain and Finland, while northern Italy remains an area of sustained circulation.
The domestic-pig situation is also highly uneven, with the greatest pressure still concentrated in parts of south-eastern Europe.
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