African swine fever is a highly contagious and usually fatal viral disease of pigs. The virus causing the disease can survive for up to 15 weeks in meat, and up to half a year in processed hams.
"The outbreaks of African swine fever in Georgia have been registered in 10 populated areas, including Tbilisi. In these areas, 20,000 infected pigs have been destroyed. Georgia has imposed restrictions on the movement of cattle, contaminated premises have been disinfected, and a quarantine regime has been introduced in the disease-stricken areas," Rosselkhoznadzor said.
A laboratory in the United Kingdom has analyzed the samples of infected cattle and confirmed the outbreak of African swine fever in Georgia, Russia's food safety watchdog said in a statement.