Outbreak of African Swine fever In The North

The outbreak of African swine fever disease in some parts of the Northern region, which reached a head last Tuesday in the Tamale Metropolis is having devastating economic effects on some pig farmers in the area. This is the first time the disease is affecting the Tamale Metropolis.

Some farmers especially at Choggu-Yapelsi and Sagnerigu both suburbs of Tamale have within three weeks lost more than 20 pigs through African swine fever, which has incubation period of about five days. As a result of the outbreak the Northern Regional Co-ordinating Council has announced an immediate ban on movement, slaughter and sale of pigs or their products in the region.

A statement issued by the Regional Co-ordinating Council noted that the outbreak of the disease since 2002 from Zabzugu-Tatale had spread all over the Eastern Corridor of the region by the end of last year. The spread reached a head last Tuesday when the Tamale Metropolis and Walewale reported new cases. This has raised uproar and fear among residents especially those in Tamale metropolis. But the Tamale Metropolitan Veterinary Officer, Dr Evans Nsoh Ayamdooh says the disease is non-zonotic, meaning it is not directly harmful to humans, but it has devastating economic implications. The Tamale Metropolitan Veterinary Officer said to curtail further spread of the disease the pig farmers have been instructed to quarantine animals, while their sties are being disinfected and all pigs infected slaughtered.

This is affecting the socio-economic development of the people unbearable as they hardly make ends meet. The farmers are therefore calling on the government and other philanthropists to come to their aid.