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CONSUMER ASSURANCE

Notifiable (Exotic) Diseases

FMD
Cases report in May in Bushbuck ridge area were within the protection zone
and not linked genetically to Limpopo outbreak.

FMD case in Limpopo is still not closed although no new cases have been
reported since late February.

ASF
Outbreaks of ASF were identified in Butterworth district of the EC late April early
May. There is some uncertainty as to when pigs started dying from ASF in the
area and thus will be difficult to pin-point the first case. Not knowing this makes
linking the ASF incursion difficult to back-trace. However, there is a genetic
similarity to the Genotype which caused ASF in the Rustenburg area during
2019; this genotype has also been found in the Kruger National Park.

EC veterinary services response was admirable. They openly liaised with
National Veterinary Services, SAPPO and Agri EC to inform all parties of the
actions and plans they had and were taking. These included piggy-backing
on Covid roadblocks to prevent the movement of pigs and pork products out
of the affected area. When SAPPO visited the EC to offer our assistance we
visited one of the roadblocks at the Kei River bridge and found the personnel
knowledgeable, informed and efficient.

At last count only 3 villages were identified as having had positive ASF cases.
To date it is unclear as to whether these were or will be the only cases. Not all
pigs that die are examined by veterinary health personnel. It is also customary
that when a (any) disease is suspected that pigs are slaughtered and
consumed.

A country-wide awareness campaign is underway using local radio,
pamphlets in 9 different languages and short video pictographics (can be
shared via WhatsApp).

A case of ASF was also reported in May in the Villiers area on a large potato
and crop, farmer’s farm. The 70 pigs were being kept as a “hobby” business
rather than as a commercial endeavour. 50 of the 70 pigs had died when the
diagnosis was made, the farmer elected to euthanize the remaining pigs – all
dead pigs were buried safely and appropriately. No suspected cases of ASF
were found during subsequent surveys in Villiers, Frankfort, Heilbron and
Cornelia.

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