African swine fever kills 100 pigs in Nsanje

An outbreak of African swine fever has hit Nsanje District killing over 100 pigs, authorities have confirmed.

District agricultural development officer (Dado) Isaac Ali said the disease has affected mainly Nyachilenda Extension Planning Area (EPA).

“It is true that the African swine fever, which is being suspected to have originated from neighbouring Mozambique, has attacked several pigs claiming lives of over 100 of them in Nyachilenda extension planning area,” he said.

Ali said they also suspect an outbreak of foot and mouth disease which has attacked 11 herds of cattle in the district’s Magoti EPA.

The official said currently, the district has placed a ban on the movement and slaughtering of pigs as a precautionary measure to avoid the spread of the disease.

The development comes barely a few months after Chikwawa District contained a foot and mouth disease outbreak.

Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development principal secretary Erica Maganga said they had successfully completed vaccination of cattle at risk.n