Tests on blood samples taken from pigs have officially confirmed an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF). Cape Agulhas Municipality stated on Wednesday 13 August that DNA from the animals in a quarantine site outside Bredasdorp tested positive for this flu virus.
Municipal Manager Hendrik Kröhn said: “The tests, conducted by accredited laboratories in Pretoria under the supervision of the State Veterinary Services, confirm the presence of this highly contagious animal disease.”
He also said 434 pigs in the encampment had died since the first case of ASF was reported on 30 July. “This figure includes both pigs that died naturally and those humanely euthanised to prevent further suffering.”
The Cape Agulhas and Overstrand municipalities have since announced strict measures to contain the outbreak of the highly contagious disease. This includes a ban on the buying and selling of pigs across district borders.
Both municipalities have also set public-awareness campaigns in motion to educate its residents about the symptoms of the disease and safety measures to be taken to contain further spread of African swine fever. Veterinary officials and the Animal Anti-Cruelty League have also conducted on-site education sessions with pig owners, explaining the confirmed diagnosis, how ASF spreads and the hygiene measures required. Pamphlets in English, Afrikaans, and isiXhosa have been distributed.
Authorities have emphasised the disease poses no risk to human health or other animals “but is deadly to domestic and wild pigs.”
Safety measures
Cape Agulhas Municipality (CAM) established a quarantine zone at Erf 1148 (Bredasdorp Informal Settlement) with round-the-clock monitoring by Protection Services and Law Enforcement on 30 July. It reported that since 13 July 330 pigs have remained in the secure encampment under strict veterinary supervision.
Access to this encampment was restricted to registered pig owners, who were allowed to feed their animals under supervision. Biosecurity protocols that require everyone leaving the camp to be disinfected have also been implemented.
Dead-animal carcasses, said Kröhn, were buried at an environmentally-approved site authorised by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning.
“The NSPCA [National Council of SPCAs] continues to euthanise pigs displaying signs of severe distress humanely in compliance with the Animal Protection Act.”
The municipality hosted a public meeting at the Nelson Mandela Community Hall on Wednesday to provide updates on the current ASF situation, guidance on biosecurity, and to give farmers an opportunity to raise questions directly with veterinary and municipal officials. Residents of Cape Agulhas can contact 028 425 5500 or 082 457 1774 for more information or to report concerns.
Public Cooperation Needed
ASF is not harmful to people, but it spreads rapidly between pigs. Residents are urged to report any sick or dead pigs immediately, and not move pigs from one location to another, stop selling or slaughtering pigs from the affected area and not to dump carcasses in open areas, rivers or refuse sites.
The Western Cape Department of Agriculture urged the public and local farmers in Cape Agulhas to remain alert and take all necessary precautions, and it emphasised that the breach of quarantine regulations is a criminal offence under the Animal Diseases Act and may lead to prosecution.
Overstrand Municipal Manager Dean O’Neill stated efforts in his municipal area were focused on containing and preventing the further spread of the disease, which posed a serious threat to farming livelihoods across the Overberg.
“While ASF poses no threat to human health it is highly contagious among pigs and can be devastating to farming operations,” he said.
Overstrand Municipality urges pig farmers in the Hemel-en-Arde Valley and Stanford, those selling pork products and Shisanyama operators along Swartdam Road in Hermanus (hawkers’ area) as well as their customers and the wider community in particular to take note and follow the guidelines, which strictly prohibit the buying and selling of pigs across the district borders. We will also present a series of community-outreach sessions to raise awareness and share important information with residents.
