Estonia on edge after Swine Fever outbreak
An outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in south-east Estonia has provoked strong reactions - both on social media and in the area surrounding the affected farm with its 6,700 animals. After several days of uncertainty and speculation it was confirmed that the pigs have the virus. The authorities have ordered the culling of the infected and isolated livestock. A second outbreak has now been reported.
Conspiracy theorists undermine trust
Eesti Päevaleht fears far-reaching social consequences for society:
“Well-known protesters, provocateurs and advocates of the most absurd conspiracy theories are present and setting the tone. However, the protest campaign on social media is much larger and has an enormous reach: thousands of shares, hundreds of thousands of clicks on websites containing information that has nothing to do with the reality of the situation and repeats and amplifies unfounded or in the meantime refuted suspicions. ... The information space is quickly flooded with scaremongering and hate campaigns ... This has tragic consequences, especially in crisis situations. The Estonian state is powerless against fake news on social media.”
Better communication would help
Õhtuleht urges the government to communicate faster and use clearer language:
“Unfortunately we've seen in the past how people with serious concerns are simply dismissed as mere rabble-rousers. The government's explanations often come too late, are too formal and are delivered in a condescending tone. African Swine Fever is a dangerous viral disease, and the only way to combat it is to resort to drastic measures. ... However, this may seem incomprehensible to people, especially when data is still lacking. The confirmation requested on Sunday finally arrived on Tuesday: yes, there is definitely an outbreak of the virus at this location. The pigs must be culled.”