An outbreak of African swine fever among pigs has been recorded in four regions in Ghana.
The infected pigs have been killed in parts of Greater Accra, Eastern, Volta and Ashanti regions to prevent the spread of the swine fever.
In the Ashanti region alone, over 400 pigs have been killed between May and June this year.
Last year, the disease hit the Ashanti Region and over 6,000 pigs were killed, something that affected the pig business and livelihood of over 21 pig farmers in the region
The African swine fever has no cure so infected pigs have to be killed and the infected area disinfected to prevent the spread.
Dr. Kenneth Gbeddy, the National Director for Veterinary Services Department told Starr News that African fever is quite difficult to determine.
“There is no treatment and no vaccine to protect against it…so the only option is to destroy and then clean and disinfect the place.”
“It has been identified in other parts of the country. We are trying as much as possible to keep it from spreading,” Dr. Gbeddy added.
Movement, slaughtering of pigs and its products to and from the affected communities have consequently has been banned as a measure to control and curtail the spread of the swine fever which is caused by a virus that produced syndromes from acute to chronic.