African Swine Fever outbreak in Damongo kills hundreds of pigs

An outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) has hit Damongo. This is the capital of the Savannah Region. Hundreds of pigs have died in the municipality.

The affected communities include Canteen, Attributu, Boroto, and Sori Number One.

To stop the spread, some farmers are slaughtering sick pigs. They are also burying dead pigs properly.

Pork is a popular delicacy locally and internationally. However, this outbreak has severely impacted pig farmers. Many are still recovering from a previous outbreak in 2023.

Farmers shared their struggles with MyJoyOnline.com. They expressed concern about recurring outbreaks harming their businesses.

Amatus Azuri lost thirty fully grown pigs in the last outbreak. He also lost around forty newly farrowed piglets. “Now, I don’t know how to prevent this,” he said. His four recently bought pigs died last week.

Another farmer, Agnes Beyuo, is considering leaving pig farming altogether. She stated that business is about profit but losses are hard to endure. “If this disease keeps hitting us, I might take a five-year break,” she remarked.

Dr. Enouch Sarkodie-Addo confirmed that ASF caused the outbreak. He urged farmers to adopt biosecurity measures and shift to intensive farming practices.

“The best solution is strict biosecurity and intensive farming,” Dr. Sarkodie-Addo advised. He noted there are no vaccines for ASF yet, though research continues.

He explained that affected pigs show erythema or reddening of the skin. This symptom was less prominent in the previous outbreak.

A major indicator of ASF is sudden death in healthy animals. If pigs do not respond to treatment and die unexpectedly, it raises concerns.