Omusati wins battle against swine fever
The Omusati region has not reported any new cases of African swine fever in the past two months, an indication that the outbreak has been successfully contained.
Chief veterinary officer Dr Josephat Peter said nearly 300 pigs died from the virus.
He explained inhabitants have successfully adhered to biosecurity protocols that prevented the virus from spreading. Since the first reported case on 13 March, other positive cases were reported in five constituencies across 32 households.
New Era reported that at least 267 pigs have been culled to stop the spread of the virus. “During the grace period of two months, new cases that were recorded were followed up and investigated but it turned out to be a false alarm.
However, during this reporting period, we have noticed a marked reduction in farmers report or clinically cases with classical signs to ASF,” he added. Peter further added the region is still in need of disinfectants to assist the affected farmers.
“Furthermore, as we are no longer experiencing increasing cases in this outbreak, we consider to assume the grace period whereby monitoring the situation towards lifting the restrictions of the African Swine Fever in the region.”
The disease is spread through contaminated pork products or clothes of people working with infected animals. “It does not travel through the air, but it is long-lived and hard to get rid of, which farmers are learning the hard way,” Peter told New Era.