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| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- | |
| African swine fever hits SA: What you need to know | |
| 2020-05-13 | |
| [Business Insider South Africa] African Swine Fever has hit South Africa again, with government confirming cases in the Eastern Cape over the weekend. This has caused some panic that the pork industry could face a listeriosis-like crisis, but experts believe that while some producers may suffer heavy losses, the supply of pork in the market should remain stable. The disease is deadly to pigs - sometimes killing 100% of herds - and is highly contagious. Pigs can die from haemorrhaging within days of contracting the disease, and there is no cure or vaccine. But it is harmless to humans. Last year, the disease swept through Asia, and millions of pigs were slaughtered. It has also wreaked havoc in Western Africa, and three years ago, cases were recorded in the Free State, North West, Northern Cape, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. Because the disease is so contagious, all affected livestock need to be slaughtered immediately.
Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, believes that the county’s pork industry will not be heavily impacted because the outbreak occurred in a communal setting and large pork suppliers remain unaffected. | |
| Posted by:Besoeker |