Jamaica on alert for African swine fever
Published:Wednesday | August 11, 2021 | 12:10 AM
Now that it has been detected in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica’s Chief Veterinarian Dr Osbil Watson wants the authorities to ramp up security measures at its borders to keep out this deadly African swine fever, which was reported in China in August 2018 and had wiped out 50 per cent of the pigs a year later.
He explained that the African swine fever was last detected in the Western Hemisphere in the 1970s, when it was found countries such as Brazil and the island of Hispaniola. Its resurgence after more than 40 years is of grave concern to the entire Americas, whose pig and pork industries could be threatened if it spreads.
“It is an extreme threat because the Dominica Republic is right there and we don’t know what is happening in Haiti because of the political situation there. So we don’t if it is in Haiti, but we know it’s on the island of Hispaniola and that’s a stone’s throw away,” Watson said. “Therefore, all antennae must be up because this thing is so devastating that it is cause for concern for all countries in the region – the Caribbean, South America, North America and Central America. All of us in the Americas are very, very cautious.”
The disease is not harmful to humans, but it is devastating for pigs, with a mortality rate usually of 100 per cent once it gets established in herds.
For this reason, Canada and the United States of America are also having jitters, given the significant size of their pig populations and the proximity of the latter to the Dominican Republic.
Collaborative effort
In addition to enhanced biosecurity measures on individual farms, Watson is calling for a strong collaborative effort between Customs, Immigration, the Marine Police and the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard and other agencies.
“We are not only talking about the Dominican Republic, but several countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and, particularly, China, with which we do a lot of trading. So all the persons involved in border security literally have to be on board, working to ensure that we safeguard and tighten up our borders because that is critical,” he stressed.
Angela Bardowell, secretary of the Jamaica Pig Farmers Association, told The Gleaner that its members have been on high alert and have been practising the measures outlined by Watson. In addition, the Association had been holding regular meetings with various groups across the island before COVID-19 forced a disruption of these meetings. However, by then the message of being vigilant at all times and monitoring visitors, especially buyers who might have visited other farms to purchase pigs, had been driven home.
“In those cases, we advised them to move the animals to the gate, away from the pens and where they allow vehicles on to the farms to disinfect them (the wheels) in dips and to be vigilant at all times. Never to let their guard down at any time,” she said.