In Saxony, the last remaining restricted zone due to African swine fever (ASF) has been lifted. The EU Commission has approved the lifting of the restrictions in the district of Bautzen, according to the Ministry of Health in Dresden. Only on the border with Poland will a so-called protection corridor between two fences remain, as there is still a restricted zone in neighboring Poland. This is intended to control wild boar that have migrated to Saxony.
The removal of the exclusion zone in the Bautzen district is a particular success, explained Saxony's Health Minister Petra Köpping. According to the SPD politician, the area is difficult to access "for hunting and trapping game" due to former and current open-cast lignite mines. The last cases of African swine fever were detected in the district of Bautzen in February 2025. Following the expiry of a one-year deadline, the area has therefore been considered ASF-free since last month. Now that the restrictions have been lifted, game shot during hunting can be used again immediately, the ministry added.
