The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has issued a new decision designating 26 settlements in Virovitica-Podravina County as an infected zone due to African swine fever. The disease was confirmed in a wild boar in the area of the Municipality of Sopje, specifically on 22 October in hunting ground X/112 Sopje.
The new decision was adopted on 27 October 2026 and entered into force on the same day. The area of hunting ground X/112 Sopje had previously been designated as a restriction zone I under European regionalisation.
The infected zone covers settlements in several local self-government units. In the Municipality of Gradina, these are Brezovica, Budakovac, Detkovac and Vladimirovac. In the City of Slatina, the covered areas are Bistrica, Donji Meljani, Gornji Miholjac, Radosavci, Sladojevački Lug and Sladojevci.
In the Municipality of Sopje, the infected zone includes Kapinci, Novaki, Španat, Vaška and Višnjica, while in the Municipality of Suhopolje, the covered settlements are Budanica, Cabuna, Gaćište, Jugovo Polje, Naudovac, Orešac, Zvonimirovo, Žiroslavlje and Žubrica. In the Municipality of Voćin, Donje Kusonje and Gornje Kusonje belong to the infected zone.
Prescribed disease control measures apply in the aforementioned areas. The decision concerns animal holders and transporters, veterinarians, hunters and hunting permit holders, as well as persons carrying out forestry and other activities in restriction zones. The list of settlements refers to the infected zone designated by the new decision of 27 October, while previously designated restriction zones and associated measures remain in force in other parts of Virovitica-Podravina County. The scope of the infected zone may change depending on the epidemiological situation.
Under the current Order, the slaughter of pigs for own consumption in the infected zone is permitted on farms that meet biosafety and other prescribed conditions and where disease monitoring is conducted. The slaughter must be notified to an authorised veterinarian at least 48 hours in advance, and a clinical examination must be carried out within 24 hours before slaughter, with no changes in the health status of the pigs detected. There is also an obligation to report found wild boar carcasses to the nearest authorised veterinary organisation or the competent inspection of the State Inspectorate.
The Ministry states that the disease was confirmed in two wild boars in Virovitica-Podravina County during October. The last outbreak of African swine fever in domestic pigs in Croatia was recorded on 4 August 2026, after which there have been no new outbreaks in domestic pigs.
