The authorities in Moyo say an outbreak of African swine fever in Metu sub-county is threatening to wipe out the pig population.
Denis Maku, the Metu sub-county veterinary officer says more than 100 hundred pigs have been affected and at least 16 pigs have so far died.
Maku says quarantine has been announced blocking the movement of pigs in and out of the district. He has also urged the people to burn and bury the sick pigs.
But some people in Moyo say the latest outbreak is a catastrophe because pork is an important item in the diet of the poorer people.
Charles Abiyo, says government must treat the affected animals as soon as possible to save the situation instead of banning sale of pigs in the area.
This is not the first time Swine fever has struck Moyo district. Last year, the disease struck the sub counties of Lefori, Moyo, Laropi and Dufile killing hundreds of pigs. It took close to nine months for the district to contain the disease.
African swine fever is a highly contagious, usually fatal viral disease of animals in the pig (Suidae) family. It has no known treatment and fatality rate is almost 100%.
There is no vaccine against swine fever and the only defense against swine fever, is the destruction of all pigs in affected areas -- and the adoption of strict sanitary measures to control the spread of the disease to neighboring areas.
