African swine fever declines in European wild boars in 2026 but Spain detects its first wild boar case since 1994

Summary

[[African-swine-fever]] outbreaks in European domestic pig farms declined in the first half of 2026, continuing a trend that began in August 2025, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health. Wild boar cases, which had peaked between October 2025 and January 2026, also began falling: European wild boar outbreaks in the first quarter of 2026 dropped 16% compared to the same period in 2025 (3,760 versus 4,481 cases), with significant reductions in Poland and Germany. In May 2026, 32 new domestic pig outbreaks were reported globally (29 in Europe) and 478 wild boar outbreaks, with 1,167 domestic pigs lost. Despite the headline decline, two developments point to ongoing westward spread: Spain recorded its first ASF case in wild boars since 1994 on November 28, 2025, marking the disease's return to the Iberian Peninsula after three decades, and Poland reported its first 2026 domestic pig outbreak affecting over 21,000 animals.

The split

European livestock industry media, particularly in Poland, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, tracked the outbreak data against pig prices and trade restrictions, as ASF-affected countries face automatic export bans from major markets including China, Japan and South Korea. Spanish agricultural press covered the wild boar detection as a supply-chain risk for Spain's globally significant pork industry, including Iberian cured pork products. Chinese state media tracked the disease because China's massive domestic pig sector was devastated by a previous ASF wave in 2018-19. WOAH and European Commission coverage focused on containment measures and the science of potential vaccine candidates, noting that no fully licensed commercial vaccine is yet available.

By the numbers

• 32, domestic pig outbreaks globally in May 2026
• 478, wild boar outbreaks in Europe in May 2026
• 1,167, domestic pig losses in May 2026
• 16%, reduction in European wild boar outbreaks in Q1 2026 versus Q1 2025
• 30 years, Spain's gap between wild boar ASF cases (1994 to November 2025)
• 21,000+, pigs affected in Poland's first 2026 domestic pig outbreak

Why it matters

[[African-swine-fever]] has no commercially licensed vaccine, meaning stamping-out culling and movement restrictions are the only confirmed tools for managing outbreaks. Spain's return to the affected zone threatens pork export revenues for one of Europe's largest pig producers. Poland remains one of the worst-affected EU member states, with cumulative domestic and wild boar losses that weigh on the country's significant pork export trade. Any ASF spread to France, the Netherlands, Germany or Denmark would trigger major trade disruptions affecting global pig meat markets, given those countries' export volumes to Asia.

What to watch

• Whether ASF spreads from Spain's Iberian wild boar population into domestic pig farms
• Progress on candidate ASF vaccines entering later-stage trials in 2026
• Whether declining European wild boar cases in 2026 represent a genuine containment trend or a seasonal fluctuation
• China's domestic ASF surveillance and the effect of any new waves on global pork prices