According to data from the German animal disease database TSIS, a total of 515 infected wild boar have been confirmed in NRW to date. In March 2026 alone, 123 new cases were recorded — the highest monthly figure since monitoring began. The trend continues in April, with 42 cases already reported, most of them in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district.
Overall, outbreaks are concentrated in three districts: Olpe (264 cases), Siegen-Wittgenstein (246), and Hochsauerlandkreis (5). Authorities note a gradual expansion of the geographical spread of the virus.
At the same time, the situation in NRW differs significantly from other regions of Germany. In most federal states, ASF spread has been stabilised, with only a few new cases reported per month, and some regions are approaching official “disease-free” status.
A notable example is Saxony, which lifted ASF-related restrictions in February 2026 after more than five years of disease pressure, but recorded a new case in a wild boar on April 1. This highlights that even after prolonged periods of stability, the risk of virus re-emergence remains high.
Experts stress that the situation in North Rhine-Westphalia demonstrates the complexity of controlling ASF in wild populations and underscores the need for continuous monitoring and strengthened biosecurity measures to prevent the virus from entering pig farms.
PigUA.info, based on pigprogress.net