Around 2500 pigs died in Assam due to China origin African Swine Fever, Centre advises to go for culling:

Guwahati, May 4: Panic gripped among the people after nearly 2500 domestic pigs have been died in Assam due to the African Swine Fever (ASF).

As thousands of domestic pigs are dying due to the disease, the center has advised the Assam government to go for the culling of pigs affected by the disease.

Assam Animal Husbandry, Veterinary & Agriculture Minister Atul Bora said that, the center has advised the state government to go for culling the affected pigs.

“But it is a huge task for the department and the department has identified zone wise. We have also discussed with the department officials, veterinary doctors, and pigs farmers of the state over the issue,” Atul Bora said.

The Assam Minister also said that, Bhopal based National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) has confirmed after testing samples that, the pigs died due to the African Swine Fever (ASF).

Atul Bora further said that the disease originated from China has killed around 2500 pigs across 306 villages in the state.

“In February the disease was detected last. However, it started in April 2019 at a village of Xizang province of China bordering Arunachal Pradesh,” Atul Bora said.

Recently the officials of Assam Husbandry, Veterinary department had found 28 pig carcasses floating in the Brahmaputra river in eastern Assam and the department suspected that, the pig carcasses could have floated down from neighboring state Arunachal Pradesh.

“As per a 2019 census by the department, the pig population in Assam was around 21 lakh, but it has increased in recent times to around 30 lakh. We have discussed with the experts that how to save the pigs without culling. Samples will be collected within one km radius of the infected areas and will be sent for testing. We are now avoiding immediate culling. After testing, we will cull only those pigs which will be found infected,” Atul Bora said.

He also said that, Assam has now three laboratories for testing, but it is not sufficient and the department officials have asked to contact with state Health department also.

Assam has already banned the sale, consumption, and distribution of pork meat in the state.

Apart from Assam, other neighboring states Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur have also issued advisory orders in the states.