Swine fever invades Chikupi vocational youth training centre

—At least 200 pigs have died of swine fever while 200 others have been infected at Chikupi Vocational Training Centre in Kafue district.

Acting District Veterinary Officer, Joseph Kombe, confirmed the development to Kafue District Administrative Officer, Ngoni Moyo, who visited the institution to assess the loss.

According to Mr Kombe, the disease was detected in some samples tested at Balmora Central Veterinary Research Institute.

And Mr Kombe further told ZANIS that the veterinary department is currently on surveillance to ensure that the disease does not spread to other farms in the area.

And Kafue District Administrative Officer, Ngoni Moyo, described the situation as bad and assured the institution authorities that government will do everything possible to contain the disease.

Meanwhile, Chikupi Vocational Youth Training Centre Manager, Uli Schali, described the loss as a disaster to the institution.

Mr Schali said piggery has been a major income generating project for the institute and feared that some workers may lose their jobs as the institute may not be able to pay their salaries due to the loss.

The visibly shocked Mr Schali lamented that the piggery used to raise about K 2000 as profit which was used in daily running of the training institute and the pigs are also used for practices by the students.

He has since appealed to government to intervene and contain the disease as soon as possible.

The school has enrolled 70 students in agriculture, tailoring and metal fabrications among the courses offered.