Infected sandwich blamed for putting Spanish pork exports at risk

 

A fast-spreading swine disease has hit one of Spain’s biggest pork-producing regions 

After 30 years, a highly contagious pig virus returned to Spain last weekend, likely triggered by food leftovers dropped in the woods.

African swine fever, a deadly disease for pigs that poses no danger to humans, has been confirmed to have killed nine wild boars in a park near Barcelona, Catalonia. A further 50 dead animals were reported in the infected area on Wednesday.

Tracing the outbreak’s origin will take a while, but Catalan authorities already suspect a culprit: an infected sandwich or piece of cold meat. (...)