August 17, 2018

 

Swine fever outbreak in Ghana spread from neighboring Côte d'Ivoire?

 

 

Ghana has also seen its first outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) this year, as the disease seems to be spreading in the European, Asian and African continents.

 

The USDA's Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) reports Ghana confirmed the outbreak of ASF in five districts of the country's Central Region.

 

The USDA-GAIN report said that 898 hogs had been culled in the five affected districts. It cited "unsubstantiated reports" associating the Ghanaian outbreak with a larger outbreak in neighboring Côte d'Ivoire that began in late 2017.

 

The report also cited government sources that said the current ASF outbreak occurred in a cluster of pigsty in a suburb of the regional capital, Cape Coast, on May 1. By May 18, the mortality rate stood at 83%.

Ghana has taken biosecurity measures, as well as banned the movement, slaughtering and sale of pigs in the Central Region.

 

Meanwhile, earlier in October 2017 Côte d'Ivoire reported an ASF outbreak to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), and even up to July 6 this year, the country was recording pig fatalities.

 

'Diseased pigs brought in from Côte d'Ivoire'

 

In total, Côte d'Ivoire reported 4,746 animals affected and 4,546 deaths.

 

There were unofficial reports from the Ghanaian side that fishermen informally brought diseased pigs into the Central Region on the coast of Ghana after buying the animals at reduced prices in Côte d'Ivoire.

 

According to the USDA-GAIN report, the pig industry in Ghana posted very significant growth in the last decade, with pig numbers increasing to over 650,000 at present, although most of the farms are small-scale.

 

It said pork products are in high demand due to the increasing number of urban and middle-income consumers.

 

However, ASF, which can cause mortalities of up to 100% of affected herd, remains one of the major challenges facing the local industry.

 

The FAO has recognised the seriousness of this problem so that it mobilised experts last year to develop resources for a "regional strategy for the control of African swine fever in Africa".