African swine fever returns to farms in Sri Lanka: nearly 200 sick pigs in six districts — why waste is to blame and what it means for Europe

What happened

On 29 October 2026 Sri Lanka's Department of Animal Production and Health reported that African swine fever has reappeared on the country's pig farms. According to the department's chief epidemiologist, Pradeep Lakpriya Kumarawadu, the virus was found during checks at 48 farms in six districts: Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Anuradhapura, Kandy and Puttalam.

Nearly 1,200 pigs were examined in total, and tests showed the virus in about 200 of them. The epidemiologist explained that the disease has returned to some areas after its spread was significantly contained last year.

Where the virus was found

The veterinary service didn't say which farms the virus was found on or how many animals had to be culled; only the overall figures from the checks are known so far. The six districts are in different parts of the island. Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara make up the densely populated west coast around the capital, with many small pig holdings. Puttalam is on the north-west coast, Kandy in the central highlands and Anuradhapura in the north of the central region. This geography suggests the virus isn't confined to one hotspot but has spread to different areas. So limiting it to one zone, as sometimes happens in Europe, will be harder.

Why the disease has come back

The chief epidemiologist names one cause outright: mishandling of waste. Some small farmers slaughter pigs at home and dump carcass remains and waste in or near water. African swine fever virus is very hardy: it survives for a long time in meat, blood, bones and offal. Waste dumped near water or on a tip becomes a source of infection for other pigs, both kept and roaming.

The authorities are urging farmers and residents to dispose of waste properly, follow the veterinary service's technical advice and keep farms clean. The service is also running an awareness campaign: many small keepers simply don't know that carcass remains can infect their neighbours' pigs.

What African swine fever is

African swine fever is a severe viral disease of domestic and wild pigs. It's fatal in most infected animals, and there's no reliable vaccine approved in Europe. Signs include a high fever, lethargy, refusing food, reddened or bluish skin, vomiting and diarrhoea, sometimes with blood. Pigs often die suddenly.

It's one of the most destructive diseases for pig farming: when a farm has an outbreak, the whole herd is usually culled, and restrictions on moving and selling pork are put in place around it.

Is the disease dangerous to people

No. The chief epidemiologist stressed that African swine fever doesn't pass to people and that, as far as this virus goes, pork is safe for humans. Dogs, cats and cattle don't catch it either. The danger lies elsewhere: people can unknowingly carry the virus — on shoes, clothing and vehicle wheels, and above all with meat and meat products.

How the virus spreads

The virus is passed on:

• through contact between sick and healthy pigs;
• through meat and products from sick animals — sausages, ham and lard, including frozen and smoked products;
• through food waste, if it's fed to pigs;
• through objects — shoes, clothing, tools and vehicles;
• through slaughter waste dumped on a tip or in water.

So the main rule is the same everywhere: never feed pigs kitchen scraps, and never dump meat waste where pigs can reach it.

How to recognise the disease in a pig

African swine fever develops quickly, and the first signs are easily mistaken for a chill or poisoning. Watch out for:

• high fever and lethargy — the pig lies down and won't get up to eat;
• refusing food and water;
• reddened or bluish skin, especially on the ears, belly and legs;
• vomiting and diarrhoea, sometimes with blood;
• an unsteady walk and weak hind legs;
• sudden death of one or more pigs with no obvious cause.

Other diseases cause similar signs, so a diagnosis can only be made by testing. Above all, don't wait, don't treat the pig yourself and don't slaughter it at home "before it's too late": this is exactly how the virus gets into meat and waste.

Why small holdings are especially vulnerable

In Sri Lanka, as in many Asian countries, a large share of pigs live not on big farms but on small holdings with a few animals. Such keepers usually have no disinfection barriers, separate clothing and footwear, or facilities for proper waste disposal. Pigs are often fed food waste and slaughtered at home. These are exactly the routes by which the virus passes from one holding to another.

Large farms find it easier to protect themselves: they have fencing, entry controls and veterinary supervision. But if the virus is widespread among small holdings nearby, sooner or later it can reach a big farm too. That's why veterinary services focus on awareness and simple rules for small pig keepers.

Why there's no vaccine

Scientists have been trying for many years to create a vaccine against African swine fever, but the virus is very complex. Vietnam has approved several live attenuated vaccines, but their use is controversial: there are fears that the weakened virus could change and become dangerous again. No vaccines against this disease are approved in the European Union. So in Europe, as in Sri Lanka, the main protection is biosecurity: preventing pigs from coming into contact with the virus.

How the disease reached Asia

For a long time African swine fever was a disease of Africa, and then it reached Eastern Europe. In 2018 the virus was found in China, the country with the world's largest pig herd, and within a few years the disease had spread across Asia: to Vietnam, the Philippines, India and many other countries. In Sri Lanka the first cases were confirmed in autumn 2024, and the authorities have been trying to contain the virus since then.

What this means for Europe

Europe has been living with African swine fever since 2014. The virus is present in wild boar and from time to time reaches farms in Eastern and Central Europe, Germany and Italy. In summer 2026 the disease was found in wild boar in Finland for the first time. Sweden managed to eliminate its 2023 outbreak, but that's more the exception. The UK remains free of the disease.

The case in Sri Lanka is a reminder of what can be seen in Europe too: the virus's longest "jumps" are linked to people, meat products and waste. The virus can cross continents in a sausage sandwich and then reach pigs if leftovers end up on a tip, by the roadside or in feed.

What travellers need to know

If you're going to Sri Lanka or other countries with African swine fever:

1. Don't bring home pork, sausages, lard or meat products — bringing meat from outside the EU or UK in personal luggage is banned.
2. Don't visit pig farms unless necessary.
3. If you've been on a farm, wash your clothes and clean your shoes before going near pigs at home.
4. Put leftover food only in closed bins, especially at lay-bys and in forests.

What pig and micro-pig keepers need to know

All pigs can catch African swine fever, including pet micro-pigs. The rules are simple and the same for a farm or one pet pig at home:

• never give pigs kitchen scraps, especially ones containing meat;
• keep pigs behind a fence, so wild boar can't get to them;
• change your clothes and shoes before caring for the animals;
• don't let strangers near your pigs, and keep a record of visitors;
• tell your vet immediately about any sudden death or illness in pigs.

What happens next

Sri Lanka's veterinary service is continuing its checks and awareness work among farmers. If new cases are found in other areas, the authorities may restrict the movement of pigs and the sale of pork. It's a serious problem for the country: pig keeping feeds many small households, and each outbreak means lost animals and income. Experience elsewhere shows that without strict waste disposal rules and a ban on feeding food waste to pigs, the virus keeps coming back, even after successful years.

When to see a vet

If you keep pigs or micro-pigs and notice a high fever, lethargy, refusal to eat, reddened or bluish skin, vomiting, diarrhoea or the sudden death of an animal, call your vet at once. African swine fever is a notifiable disease: in the UK, suspicion must be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency. How quickly you call determines how many holdings can be protected.