Authorities in Catalonia identified two additional cases of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boars, both within the designated high-risk area. The latest infections, confirmed in Barcelona and Sant Just Desvern, brought the region’s total to 375 since the outbreak was first detected in November 2025. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food reported the figures in its weekly update. A subsequent October operational update reported nine more positive wild-boar findings, all in the high-risk Collserola zone, and put the cumulative total at approximately 410.
Since the first infected wild boar was found in Cerdanyola del Vallès on 28 November 2025, the response has combined testing and movement restrictions, while teams searched for carcasses and reduced the population. Of 10,700 wild boars analyzed in the reporting period, 10,325 tested negative, and no cases had been detected in domestic pigs. Positive findings were concentrated in 19 municipalities in the high-risk zone. The later October update said the latest positive remains were from animals that had not died recently, distinguishing those detections from a sudden recent mortality event.
Field teams continue to search for carcasses and manage wild-boar numbers through trapping and targeted culling, with rural agents and hunters involved. The Generalitat’s measures also include barriers and fencing intended to block wild-boar corridors. Surveillance brings rural agents and police together with hunting organizations, while specialist teams provide support. In the October update, authorities reported 34 individual traps, 93 collective traps known as “pig brigs,” and 351 perimeter closures. They also reported that 308 wild boars had been captured inside the restricted area in one week.
Catalan Agriculture Minister Òscar Ordeig said in October that more than 13,300 wild boars had been captured and approximately 410 positive findings recorded during the response. He put the number of containment closures at about 350 and said investment had exceeded €100 million. Since 7 August, he said, all but one positive had involved remains located by detection dogs; he also reported that wild-boar density in the zero-risk zone had fallen below one animal per square kilometre. Ordeig described the operation as entering its final phase, while the Generalitat’s containment measures remain in place pending health and technical assessments.
Access to rural areas has been increasingly restricted since the outbreak began, making reopening a major issue for Barcelona residents and municipalities around Collserola. The Collserola Oberta platform has brought together local organizations and residents calling for greater transparency and measurable results, along with a clear plan for gradual reopening. Barcelona City Council has been preparing a formal request to reopen the Carretera de les Aigües, a major route through the natural park that has been closed under the ASF controls for nearly a year. Ordeig said restricted areas could begin reopening in stages in late November, using designated safe corridors, but no final date had been set. He has said the decision depends on European, Spanish and Catalan rules, technical assessments and epidemiological data, and that reopening would be gradual rather than a general lifting of restrictions.
Efforts to control animal-borne diseases are not unique to Spain. A recent outbreak of Cyclospora in the United States led to fatalities and highlighted the importance of rapid response and transparent reporting in managing public-health threats. Such incidents underline the need for coordinated action and clear information when disease outbreaks affect agriculture and rural communities.
African swine fever does not pose a direct risk to human health, but its effects on wild and domestic pigs can carry impressive economic and environmental consequences. The virus is highly contagious among swine and can spread rapidly if not contained. Spain, one of Europe’s leading pork producers, faces particular pressure to prevent it from reaching commercial farms. Catalonia’s response in Collserola combines surveillance with population management, while barriers and access restrictions help contain the virus. The challenge now is to maintain containment while assessing whether and where public access can safely resume.
