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National authorities probing the ongoing African swine fever incident in Catalonia are now considering the possibility that the disease could have originated from a scientific laboratory. Their focus has shifted to several nearby facilities as possible sources.

Confirmed Cases and Economic Concerns

Thirteen infections of the virus have been identified in feral pigs in the countryside outside the Catalan capital beginning on 28 November. This has led Spain – the European Union's biggest pork exporter – to rush to contain the outbreak before it escalates into a serious threat to the nation's multi-billion euro pig meat export industry.

Evolving Investigative Focus

At first, regional authorities suspected the outbreak started after a boar ate infected meat products brought in from outside Spain – possibly a thrown away meat sandwich from a truck driver.

However, the national agriculture ministry has initiated a new line of inquiry after concluding that the strain of the virus found in the deceased boars in Catalonia is not the same as the one reported to be circulating in other European countries. According to a report indicate the strain in question is rather similar to one detected in Georgia in 2007.

"The discovery of a virus like the one that was present in that country does not, therefore, exclude the possibility that its source is a high-security facility," said the ministry.

Laboratory Link Explored

The 'Georgia-2007' virus strain is a 'standard' virus commonly employed in experimental infections in containment facilities to study the virus or to test the effectiveness of treatments, which are presently under development. The report implies that the virus may not have originated in animals or meat products from any of the countries where the disease is currently present.

Government Actions and Audit

In reaction, Salvador Illa stated he had instructed the Catalan agrifood research institute to conduct an audit of several facilities that work with the African swine fever virus within a 20-kilometer radius of the outbreak site.

"The regional government are not excluding any scenarios when it comes to the source of the incident of African swine fever, but neither is it confirming any," he said. "All hypotheses are on the table. First and foremost, we need to know what happened."

Latest Containment Measures

The authorities have confirmed thirteen infections of the virus – each one in dead wild boar located within 6km of the initial focus. Officials added the corpses of 37 more animals found in the area have been analysed, with all testing negative for the virus. Specialists dispatched to the thirty-nine pig farms within the surrounding zone have detected no sign of the illness on those farms. Over one hundred personnel from the country's emergency response forces have additionally been deployed to the region to assist police officers and wildlife rangers.

Worldwide Background of African Swine Fever

Long endemic to Africa, ASF is not dangerous to people but often fatal to pigs. In the year 2018, the virus emerged in China, which is home to about half of the world’s pig population. By 2019, there were concerns that as many as 100 million pigs had been culled or died. Subsequently, the pathogen was confirmed to be in Germany, home to one of the EU’s largest swine herds.

The Country's Crucial Position in Meat Exports

The nation, which is the EU’s largest pork producer, sold pork products worth €5.1bn to other European nations last year, and nearly 3.7 billion euros of pig-based goods to destinations outside Europe. Official data show that Spain processed 58 million pigs in 2021 – an increase of forty percent from a ten years prior.