SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgaria has reported new outbreaks of African swine fever among backyard pigs in six villages in the northern region of Pleven, the national food safety agency said on Tuesday.

All pigs in the six villages were outbreaks were confirmed will be culled and a three-kilometer quarantine zone will be established around the village, the agency said in a statement.

African swine fever is a highly contagious disease that affects pigs and wild boar. It does not affect humans.

Three other cases in the region of Pleven were confirmed last week. The agency warned farmers not to hide their backyard pigs or try to transport them out of the villages and sell them as such actions may further spread the disease.

(Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova; editing by David Evans)

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