Mārtiņš Seržants, Deputy Head of the Animal Infectious Disease Surveillance Department at the Food and Veterinary Service, pointed out that an outbreak is currently being observed in the western part of Kurzeme, which is not unusual as the plague has now reached these territories. Two other outbreaks are causing concern – one in the Tukums region, within the Ķemeri National Park and surrounding areas, and the other near the country's border. Mārtiņš Seržants noted that hunting is restricted in protected nature areas, which could be one of the factors contributing to the active infection outbreak identified there.

In response to a question from the magazine "Medības", Valters Lūsis replied that existing regulations allow wild boar hunting for the purposes of controlling African swine fever in practically any location in Latvia. One of the holders of hunting rights is the Nature Conservation Agency, which oversees tens of thousands of hectares of hunting grounds where wild boar undoubtedly live. According to the State Forest Service's data, the number of wild boar shot to date in the hunting grounds overseen by the Nature Conservation Agency has been exactly zero. Valters Lūsis also emphasised that protected nature areas are established for a specific purpose, so it would be important to balance all interests.

The magazine "Medības" pointed out that these areas where wild boar hunting does not take place may not only become hotspots for the infection, but the virus could also spread from these areas to surrounding hunting grounds.

In response, Mārtiņš Seržants explained that regarding Ķemeri National Park, it was hunters who pointed out that a wild boar reservoir had formed in these areas, and wild boar infected with the plague were discovered in the surrounding territories. As a result, the Nature Conservation Agency provided hunters with the opportunity to hunt wild boar in these areas. Mārtiņš Seržants urges hunters to contact the State Forest Service if it is concluded that a wild boar reservoir has formed in a location where hunting is not taking place. It is important to inform the responsible authorities so that solutions can be sought and the threat of the infection spreading can be prevented. The case in Ķemeri National Park shows that the problem can be solved.