Vet service places ban on pig movement

By Fatima Astanga, GNA

Bolgatanga, June 28, GNA - The Upper East Regional Veterinary Services, has placed a ban on the movement of pigs and pig products following an outbreak of African swine fever in some parts of the Region.

Dr Patrick Abakeh, Regional Veterinary Officer named the affected communities as Sirigu and its environs in Paga in the Kassena Nankana West District and Garu District and surrounding communities where the disease had affected and killed many pigs.

Dr Abakeh, who confirmed the outbreak in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, said though the disease did not affect human beings when eaten, touching, killing, and discarding the blood of infected animals openly could be points of contamination.

He said although the disease could be from neighbouring Burkina Faso confining the pigs was the only way to contain the spread.

Dr Abakeh said collaborative efforts were ongoing with the Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority to ensure that the disease did not spread.

He noted that sensitisation of the farmers was ongoing to educate them on the disease and the need for them to confine their pigs.

He said the disease was highly contagious and described the symptoms as loss of appetite, diarrhoea, colouration of skin, increased pulse, reddening of ears, tail, hind legs and death within three to 13 days with high mortality to 100 per cent.

He said with the alarming infection and deaths, there was the need for sub - regional co-ordination to stamp out the disease.

Dr Abakeh noted that pigs that survived the swine fever were lifelong carriers of the virus.

He appealed to the public to treat the menace as serious and help to contain the spread.

GNA

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