Outbreak of Swine Fever Kills 20,000 Pigs at Romanian Farm

August 8, 2007 — 

According to an Associated Press article; officials said Saturday that an outbreak of swine fever at a Romanian farm belonging to the world's largest pork processor has killed 20,000 pigs.

Ioan Jeleriu, who heads the Veterinary Heath Authority in Timis county, was cited as saying the sickened swine were found at a farm in the southwestern village of Cenei, 20 kilometers (12 miles) southeast of Timisoara, home to many of Romania's pig farms.

The farm belongs to Smithfield Foods Inc., based in Smithfield, Virginia, he said. The company has 25 pig farms in Timis and others in western Romania, Jeleriu. Authorities have shut down other farms in the region until inspections of their pigs are carried out.

Jeleriu was quoted as saying "We have to see where this virus came from; maybe it came from wild boar. It could have come from anywhere."

Opposition lawmaker Ilie Sarbu, a former agriculture minister, was cited as accusing authorities of trying to cover up the disease by saying that pigs had died in a recent heat wave.