Zambia reports outbreak of swine fever

The Zambian government on Tuesday announced an outbreak of swine Fever in the Chongwe district of Lusaka Province.

Makozo Chikote, the minister of Fisheries and Livestock, said the disease, which affects pigs, was reported Saturday at one of the farms in the district, where about 596 pigs were kept, and that so far 13 pigs have died.

He told reporters at a press briefing that the ministry has since banned the movement of pigs and pig-related products from the district to avoid the spread of the disease to other parts of the country.

He also said more than 500 pigs will be killed and burned at the affected farm while other preventive measures have been put in place to contain the outbreak.

According to him, the ministry has started registration of all pig farms in the area to ensure their compliance with implementing biosecurity measures put in place while biosecurity checkpoints have been set up in the district.

The ministry, he said, has also enhanced monitoring and surveillance measures in the district as well as two other adjacent districts to ascertain the extent of the disease.

He has since urged members of the public to cooperate with veterinary officials to ensure that the disease was contained in the shortest possible time.