30 November 2024
African Swine fever (ASF) is a controlled disease in terms of the Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act No. 35 of 1984). It is an acute, highly contagious and fatal disease of pigs, carried by warthogs and transmitted in its sylvatic cycle by tampans (soft ticks). Contact between infected wild suids (bushpig and warthog) and domestic pigs usually initiates initiate an outbreak, thereafter, it is, however, transmitted to other domestic pigs from infected pigs via their tissues or bodily fluids, via contaminated feed and fomites such as contaminated objects e.g., equipment, vehicles, clothing or footwear. Feeding swill (food waste) including infected tissues and poor biosecurity are important in its transmission from pig to pig and place to place.
It is reported that no new outbreaks were reported in the Kwazulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, Free State and Northern Cape, Provinces during the month of November.
However, the following provinces had outbreaks reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), during the month of November 2024:
•Gauteng had two new outbreaks located in the Rand West City area.
•Western Cape had two new outbreaks in the City of Cape Town
•Eastern Cape had two new outbreaks. One in Stutterheim and one in Engcobo.
Confirmation of diagnosis is achieved by positive PCR organ samples at the ARC Onderstepoort Veterinary Research Transboundary Animal Diseases Laboratory (OVR-TAD)
There is no effective preventative vaccination or treatment available for ASF and control measures are based on quarantine and movement controls. Furthermore, any suspect cases of ASF must be reported immediately to the responsible state veterinary office for investigation and the imposition of measures to control the spread thereof.
Read the full report here.
2024-11-30-ASF-update-report
