At least 500 pigs have been killed by the African swine fever in Tanzania’s northern district of Kahama in Shinyanga region, according to an official report from Kahama district commissioner Anamringi Macha.
The disease broke reportdely broke out in the region in late December and the commissioner reported that district authorities have since banned the sale of pork to protect consumers.
“The district authorities in collaboration with the central government are working hard to ensure that the disease is controlled before it spreads to neighboring districts and regions,” said Mr Macha.
It is the first significant outbreak in the country since March 2018 when the disease claimed the lives of over 900 pigs in the southern Tanzania region of Ruvuma.