African Swine Fever in the North and parts of Volta regions

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has with immediate effect banned the slaughter and the movement of pigs, pork or pig products within, into and out of several districts in the Northern and Volta regions following the outbreak of African Swine Fever.

A statement issued in Accra said there is an outbreak of African Swine Fever, a disease that affect pigs, in Northern Region and Volta Region resulting in the deaths of many pigs.

The districts are Zabzugu-Tatale, Yendi, Nanumba, Saboba-Chereponi and Gushiegu Karaga, and that of Nkwanta in the Volta region.

The statement signed by Mr Frank Apeagyei, Special Adviser to the Minister said the directive forms part of measures the Ministry was taking to control the spread of the disease to other parts of the country.

The Ministry has therefore, appealed to all pig farmers, butchers, meat shop owners, meat processors and the general public to cooperate in efforts to control the disease.

The security agencies, the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU) and the general public were also to assist the Ministry to enforce these control measures.

Meanwhile, all pig farmers in the country have been advised to report immediately the presence of any strange disease among their pigs to the nearest Ministry of Food and Agriculture staff who have been instructed to monitor the health status of the animal where pigs were reared.

The African Swine Fever is an infectious and highly contagious disease of pigs caused by viruses that produce syndromes from acute to chronic.

High fever, haemorrhages and cyanosis in the skin, loss of appetite and high mortality rate characterize the disease.

It affects only pigs and there is no vaccine against the disease and no treatment for the disease.

The movement of infected pigs, which may or may not be showing signs of the disease, and the feeding of infected pork to pigs, spreads the disease.

The Ministry assured the public, particularly pig farmers, that with their cooperation, the outbreak would be quickly brought under control.