With nine cases of African swine fever confirmed near Barcelona, and 50 dead wild boar found in the area, Spanish authorities are working around the clock to contain the spread of the disease that is deadly to pigs and wild boar, but harmless in humans.

Asked if the outbreak is under control, Spain's Agriculture Minister Luis Planas tells CGTN "I think that we have been very effective, responding to the outbreak.

"We have adopted all the measures that were needed, including the mobilization of the armed forces to help close off a six-kilometer zone along with a larger 20-kilometer perimeter – so that we can prevent the spread to any pig farm in the zone.

"And in fact, what we have checked is that no pig has been contaminated by the virus."

That's good news in a country that has more pigs than people – 49 million humans to 54 million porcine inhabitants. It also has the EU's biggest pork industry.

Only China and the U.S. produce more pork than Spain, so the first outbreak of African Swine Fever in three decades has the entire industry on edge. It can spread rapidly and kill off entire pig herds in days.

Emergency military personnel 

"I'm absolutely confident that the very, very rigorous measures, including armed forces, national and local police in control of the issue will be very effective," continues Planas.

That includes 117 UME or emergency military personnel who arrived in Barcelona from Madrid to support the 400 local police, wardens and EU experts on the scene.

They have used drones and traps to find dead and possibly infected animals. The 50 carcasses discovered now need to be tested to see if the virus has spread in the area.

Catalan Minister for Agriculture Oscar Ordeig has said the working theory is that the virus entered the country on a contaminated cold meat sandwich.

"It is clear that the source is probably not live animals, but food waste left by humans that was the origin of the outbreak," agrees Planas.

The infected animals were found in the Collserola Natural Park close to Barcelona city where humans and boars often come into close contact. It's a popular place for picnics and outdoor activities, and boars can often be found foraging for food in the area.

The virus could have come from other countries with confirmed cases, such as Romania, Serbia and Croatia.

"It has surprised us, but it happens in other cases," says Planas. "For example, it happened in Ardennes in Belgium some years ago, close to a road where there is human activity."

Europe and China stop imports from the Barcelona region

Around 40 countries in all have placed some restrictions on pork coming from Spain, and particularly from the Barcelona region.

"The European Union works on the principle of regionalization," explains Planas. "Outside the 20-kilometer zone, trade continues concerning all the products that are fully safe for human consumption without any restriction."

But other countries work differently, according to trade agreements. For example, Mexico has halted pork imports from all of Spain.

"In the case of China, we have been very happy to conclude some weeks ago a protocol about regionalization that makes it possible to apply the principle related to the province of Barcelona and that is the only zone excluded.

"I'm happy that we have succeeded to achieve this agreement because it means not only that we can continue trade, but we can develop our economic relations, our trade relations and particularly concerning the agri-food sector."

As the days roll on, Planas is maintaining contact with his counterparts abroad.

"We continue the conversations with other countries. More or less two-thirds are open, one-third have some problems. Probably in the forthcoming days or weeks we can reopen it.

"In one or two weeks we will have more perspective of the evolution, but I think it will be, I hope, good news and we can stop this outbreak.

"The regulations state that for a country to be free of African Swine fever (ASF), you need twelve months since the last outbreak so I hope, I am sure, that in one year's time we will be free from this situation."

The worst animal pandemic in history with no cure and no vaccine 

In 2018 an ASF epidemic in China cost the country more than $100 billion in a single year and 200 million animals were culled.

Experts are calling it the worst animal pandemic in history and say it was 'a matter of time' before it returned to Spain. African Swine Fever originated in sub-Saharan Africa but made its way into Europe through Georgia, then Russia, and spread west.

Germany and Croatia have both grappled with it and it has no cure or vaccine – despite various ongoing costly attempts to make one.

It's a virus with a greater complexity than Covid and for now, the only effective measures to stop it are quarantine and closing off the zones where it's found – just as Spain is trying to do right now.