A laboratory report signed by Dr. Theophilus Odoom, Head of the Accra Veterinary Laboratory, indicated that samples submitted from the South Tongu Veterinary Centre tested positive for the ASF virus after a Real-Time PCR analysis.

The Veterinary Services Department (VSD) has since placed the region on high alert, urging pig farmers to immediately strengthen biosecurity measures to prevent transmission to nearby districts such as North Tongu, Central Tongu, Keta and Ketu South, where pig farming is also a major economic activity.

Mr. Michael Benney and Mr. Francis Amudzi, Veterinary Officers at the South Tongu Veterinary Centre, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that urgent containment measures were being put in place.

“We are working with local assemblies and farmer groups to trace possible contacts and movement of pigs within and outside the district. The disease is deadly for pigs, and if not quickly contained, it can cripple the pig industry across the region,” they said.
They also lamented the difficulty in controlling the cases due to the noncompliance from some farmers in the enclave.

These officers called for stakeholder collaboration to curb the menace and urged resident farmers to heed the advice from the veterinary outfits.

The officers however disclosed that more than 200 pigs have died in the district because of the virus.

The African Swine Fever virus, though not harmful to humans, has nearly 100 percent fatality in pigs. It spreads rapidly through contact with infected animals, feed, farm equipment or humans who moved from one infected farm to the other.

Mr. Titus Fongnaa, the Veterinary Officer in Central Tongu mentioned that his outfit had begun sensitisation drives across the Tongu districts and beyond.

“We are cautioning residents to temporarily avoid consuming pork until animals are certified safe by veterinary officers. Farmers must immediately report unusual pig deaths and avoid moving their stock across communities. This is the only way we can contain it,” he noted.
He also mentioned that residents halt the consumption of uninspected pork meats.

Mr. Fongnaa also cautioned that pig farmers who fail to comply with safety measures could face sanctions, as the movement of infected pigs’ risks spreading the disease across districts.

Some local farmers have expressed fears about the economic toll.

Madam Akosua Gbeku, a pig farmer at Sogakope, said the outbreak would likely threaten her livelihood.

“I have invested heavily in my farm. If the pigs are lost, my family will suffer greatly. We need compensation and technical support to survive this,” she said.

Mr. Edem Kwabla, another farmer, called for the government’s intervention.

“We depend on pig farming for our daily bread. Without immediate help, many families will go hungry. We also appeal for more education on how to manage the disease,” he told the GNA.

The Veterinary Services Department is expected to intensify surveillance, enforce quarantine protocols, and provide guidelines for the safe disposal of carcasses to avoid further outbreaks.