0
0
Last Updated on: 20th February 2022, 05:35 pm
Pigs numbering over 200 have now succumbed to the suspected African Swine Fever in Otuke and Agago districts in recent weeks.
By Awor Christine
Otuke – February 20, 2022: The people of Otuke are in a panic. This comes after suspected cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) and Nagana that have started killing pigs and cattle, respectively.
Francis Abola, Otuke’s LC5 chairman has confirmed the outbreaks and deaths of pigs and cows to it. Both are highly viral and fatal.
Abola attributed the problem to the district’s proximity with nomadic pastoralists in the North East who keep moving up and down with their unvaccinated animals.
“You see the problem with Otuke is that it is near Karamoja sub-region,” he said.
Abola said the most affected sub-counties are Olilim and Ogwete.
“We are appealing to the government to come in and rescue Otuke before it gets out of hand,” he said, during an interview.
In the last two weeks, he told TND News the district received reports that over 100 pigs have died.
In Amua parish, Ogwete sub-county, a total of 3-4 cattle die every day, he told us.
Abola further told us they have informed the production department to ascertain the magnitude of the situation.
Thomas Anyuru is the production officer of Otuke district. He was, however, still skeptical about the issue, saying: “We are still ascertaining to get to the bottom of the real disease.”
“We are yet to establish the situation, for now, we can not yet conclude,” added Anyuru.
The veterinary officer of Ogwete sub-county, Benson O’Mara said he has received complaints from many sub-countries.
“The challenge with our people is that they wait until the neighbor is affected to vaccinate their animals,” he said.
O’Mara, however, cautioned the community to first desist from eating the carcasses of those dead animals as the veterinary officers ascertain the exact issue.
Some of the signs of ASF include nasal dryness, a drop in temperature which makes the animal bask in the sun for a long hence dying within days.
Last week, TND News reported that the same ASF had already killed more than 100 pigs in Arum sub-county and other parts of Agago.
