GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - South Africa is currently experiencing active outbreaks of African Swine Fever (ASF) in most provinces.

The first outbreaks of ASF reported in the Western Cape were in February 2021 with the most recent reports from George and Mossel Bay, where mainly small farmers and informal pig farmers have been affected with 240 pigs already having died due to the disease. 

These are the first outbreaks of this deadly disease ever in this area.

Since 2019, a total of 84 ASF outbreaks have been reported in the Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West provinces. In 2020 ASF was reported in the Eastern Cape for the first time with 15 reported outbreaks. The Western Cape reported 43 outbreaks.

ASF is not to be confused with swine flu (H1N1 virus) which causes symptoms similar to the regular flu. It originated in pigs but is spread primarily from person to person. Swine flu made headlines in 2009 when it was first discovered in humans and became a pandemic.

ASF is not transmitted to humans and there is no public health risk associated with the disease. However, it is not recommended to eat the meat of any clinically sick animal or animal that has died.

Mossel Bay and George under quarantine

According to a press release by the minister of agriculture in the Western Cape, Dr Ivan Meyer, both George and Mossel Bay have been placed under quarantine. This means that pigs or pig products may not be moved out of these areas without a permit issued by the local state veterinary office and that carcasses need to be disposed of responsibly. 

Local municipalities have provided burial sites and disinfectants.

"There is no effective vaccine available to prevent ASF. I appeal to farmers to continue to implement effective biosecurity measures. This entails keeping pigs confined to avoid contact with other pigs and humans sanitising their hands, shoes, clothing and equipment before and after contact with pigs or pig products," he said.

Control measures implemented

Control measures are based on quarantine and movement controls. Awareness drives highlighting essential biosecurity measures to enable pig owners to prevent infection of their pigs have been ongoing. 

Some of the measures are:

• Confining pigs to prevent contact with other pigs or wildlife;
• Only buying pigs directly from healthy herds;
• Only feeding safe feed to pigs;
• Not allowing visitors contact with pigs;
• Before having contact with pigs, wash hands, only use clean clothes, shoes, equipment and vehicles (that have not been in contact with other pigs).

Surveillance

Surveillance for ASF remains ongoing. All movements of pigs from infected properties and areas during the period prior to and following diagnosis are traced and any suspect disease outbreaks in pigs investigated. If suspect clinical signs are observed, samples are collected to

confirm the diagnosis. Some serological surveillance has also been undertaken from clinically healthy animals in surrounding areas.

Clinical signs of ASF

• Severe cases of the disease are characterised by high fever and the pigs die within two to 10 days.
• Deaths can be as high as 100% and the disease spreads quickly between contact pigs.
• Abortion in pregnant sows, loss of appetite, depression, difficulty breathing, vomiting, bleeding from the nose or rectum, diarrhoea and redness of the skin of the ears, abdomen and legs.
• Some forms of the virus produce less intense symptoms, though deaths can still range from 30% to 70%.
• Chronic disease symptoms include loss of weight, intermittent fever, respiratory problems, chronic skin ulcers and arthritis.

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