Confirmed reports say a deadly swine disease spreading across Africa, infecting millions of pigs and threatening the world’s largest hog industry has killed thousands of pigs in Sierra Leone.

Confirmed reports say some unpatriotic Sierra Leonean have decided to clean pigs dying as a result of this dangerous ailment and put it on the market for sale. 

The swine fever is a highly contagious viral disease which, in its most virulent form, can be 100% lethal to domestic pigs and wild boars.

There is no vaccine and it is characterized by high fever, loss of appetite and hemorrhages in the skin and internal organs. Death comes in two to 10 days on average. Diarrhea, vomiting, coughing and breathing difficulties are other symptoms.

The disease is found in all body fluids and tissues of infected domestic pigs and spreads via direct contact with infected animals or ingestion of garbage containing unprocessed infected pig meat or pig meat products.

It can survive in feces for several days and possibly longer in urine. Animals that recover from the illness can carry the virus for several months.