Burundi: Pig disease kills several of them

At the beginning of October 2022, three pigs died on Kibimba hill in the commune of Giheta in the province of Gitega (Central Burundi).
A disease which is still not known had just appeared and fastly spread to other parts of the country. More than 75 animals have since died. To stope the disease the veterinary services have taken measures and sensitized about them. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

According to Anatolie Nzeyimana, head of the municipal veterinary service in Gitega, the clinical signs are anorexia, hyperthermia, congestion in the ocular mucous membranes, motor incoordinations. The animal that shows these clinical signs dies in the majority of cases, after three to five days.

This information is confirmed by Serges Nkurunziza, General Manager of Livestock.

“We suspected African swine fever disease. Based on the clinical picture observed, the tests were negative, thus causing total confusion among farmers,” he said.

The disease has spread to other parts, particularly in the provinces of Rumonge, Bururi (southwest) and Muyinga (northeast). The report shows 116 contaminations of the disease including 70 pigs which died according to this authority.

To prevent the spread of this as yet unidentified disease, which ravages pigs in several parts of Burundi, measures have been taken.

These include urgent disinfection campaigns for piggeries, starting with farms located in the hills where the disease has appeared and in the major pig breeding centres, symptomatic treatment and the availability of essential drugs on ground.

For breeders, the General Director of Livestock recommended alerting the nearest veterinary services as soon as they see a sick animal.

It also prohibits the movement, slaughter and trade of pigs only in areas affected by the disease.

In recent years, pig farming has been widely practiced in Burundi.