Sri Lanka faces a renewed risk of the spread of African swine fever, with veterinary authorities warning that the highly contagious viral disease could cause severe losses among the country’s pig population.
Dr Sisira Piyasiri, Director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, raised the concern at an awareness meeting held on the disease on the 29th, warning that the virus could spread rapidly and result in the deaths of all infected animals.
Describing African swine fever as a viral disease, Dr Piyasiri said infected pigs faced a mortality rate of up to 100 per cent. He warned that the virus could spread through contaminated clothing, footwear, boots, equipment and vehicles, including their wheels.
The warning highlighted the risk of transmission through items and equipment that come into contact with infected animals or contaminated environments. Clothing, protective footwear and vehicles were among the potential means through which the virus could be carried from one location to another.
Dr Piyasiri also sought to reassure consumers over the safety of pork, stressing that African swine fever does not infect humans. People who consume pork therefore have no reason to develop undue fears about contracting the disease.
His comments were made during the awareness meeting on the spread of African swine fever in Sri Lanka, as the authorities raised concerns about the possibility of the disease spreading again within the country.
