By Chioma Obinna & Zion Igri
The Federal Government yesterday announced the outbreak of what it described as ‘African Swine Fever (ASF)’ in certain parts of Delta State, dismissing insinuations that Swine Fever has entered into the country.
In a press statement made available to Vanguard and signed by the Special Assistant to the Minister of Health on Communications, Mr. Niyi Ojuolape, the Federal Ministry of Health confirmed the out break of ASF contrary to media reports of the out break of the widely reported Swine Flu in Nigeria.

According to Ojuolape, following recent report in the media about the outbreak of Swine fever in a certain part of the country, the Federal Ministry of Health after due consultations with the Delta State Ministries of Health and Agriculture swung into action to investigate the case.

From the investigations so far, he explained that the Federal Ministry in collaboration with Delta State Ministries of Health and Agriculture found that there is the presence of ASF in some parts of the state.

He pointed out that the African Swine Fever (ASF) affects only pigs and given the fact that it is a zoonotic disease, it does not affect humans in any way.

Ojuolape explained that the ASF is not related to the A(HINI) Influenza otherwise known as swine fever.

His words: “It is therefore not related to the A(HINI) Influenza otherwise known as Swine Fever”.

Continuing, he noted that “Further to the reported outbreak, the Delta State Ministry of Agriculture has quarantined the affected Piggery and has started culling the affected pigs to prevent the disease from spreading to other pigs”.

He assured the public that there is yet no report of the A(H1N1) Influenza in Nigeria.
His words: “There is yet no report of the A(HINI) Influenza in Nigeria. We are doing our utmost to monitor the events with a view to handling any eventuality effectively.”