Spain reports first African swine fever cases since 1994 in wild boar

MADRID - Spain has detected its first cases of African swine fever since 1994 after two wild boar found dead near Barcelona tested positive for the virus, the agriculture ministry said on Friday.

The outbreak could threaten exports to China, with recent efforts by Madrid to court Beijing and gain market share.

The ministry said it has notified the European Union and activated emergency measures in the affected area, urging pig farms to tighten security measures while investigators probe the source of the infection.

The virus, which is harmless to humans but deadly for pigs, has been spreading westwards in Europe in recent years.

The spread of the disease to Germany upended the country's large pig industry, with many overseas countries imposing bans.

In recent months Croatia has been trying to contain an outbreak of the disease in pig farms. REUTERS