Sabatia: The County Government of Vihiga, through the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Blue Economy, has issued an advisory of a suspected African Swine Fever (ASF) within Sabatia Sub County, Vihiga County.
According to Kenya News Agency, the County Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Darlington Kadenge, notified the public that a pig farm in Vokoli sub-location, North-Maragoli ward, had lost 16 pigs out of a herd of 73. The pigs had exhibited signs of ASF before succumbing between July 20, 2026, and August 6, 2026, with six more pigs currently showing signs of the disease.
Kadenge reiterated that ASF is a highly contagious, lethal viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs, with a mortality rate of up to 100%. While harmless to humans, it poses a significant threat to global food security, pork production, and farming economies, with no known treatment or vaccine available for the disease.
He highlighted signs and symptoms to watch out for, including high fever of 40-42 degrees Celsius, extreme lethargy and weakness, loss of appetite, sudden weight drop, red or blue blotches on the skin (ears, snout, tail, abdomen), bloody diarrhoea, severe vomiting, and laboured breathing and coughing.
Dr. Kadenge explained that transmission of the disease could occur through various means, such as direct contact with infected pigs, ingestion of contaminated food or pork products, contaminated fomites via vehicles, equipment, footwear, and clothing, and bites from infected soft ticks.
He advised pig farmers to enforce strict quarantine measures by housing pigs in enclosed structures, halting pig transfers between farms, markets, and slaughterhouses, enhancing biosecurity through sanitisation, cooking pig feed thoroughly, reporting deaths immediately, and safely disposing of carcasses under veterinary supervision.
Dr. Kadenge also directed traders and transporters to comply with movement restrictions set by veterinary authorities, refrain from trading sick animals, and enforce vehicle disinfection through power washing and chemical disinfectants before and after transporting livestock.
He concluded by advising pork consumers to verify the source of their pork, insist on inspection stamps, and avoid suspicious meat by not buying or consuming pork from pigs that died of unknown causes or were slaughtered at home.
