'African Swine Fever' that came from China afflicting Pigs in Assam?

Guwahati, April 28, 2020:

Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora on April 28 said that doctors suspect that a large number of pigs in the state could be suffering from the African Swine Fever. He further said that experts suspect that the infection might have crossed the border from China or Tibet.

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Addressing mediapersons here today, Bora said that this particular disease was first reported in 1921 in Africa. "It has also been reported in China. In Arunachal, it began. After the pigs died in that state, the corpses were dumped in the rivers from where the infection has probably come to Assam", Bora said, adding that there is reason to believe that the pigs could possibly have picked up the virus Tibet/China. China, Bora said, has also reported several cases.

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Doctors, after examining, have suggested that it might be an "exotic swine fever", Bora said, adding that injections of classical swine fever are not working on these pigs.

Bora further added that ban on the sale of pork in the affected districts will continue, and added that the number of pigs which have died from the virus has risen to 2,226.

The Agriculture Minister says that the is heavily contagious. However, due to the lockdown perhaps, the disease has not spread at its rapid rate. Even humans can become carriers", Bora said. Providing some relief, the Minister said that the flu cannot affect humans.

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Meanwhile, Bora confirmed that samples have now been sent to Bhopal and the reports of those samples will come later today in the evening or tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Government is said to be in talks to see what can be done to allay the financial damages that will be incurred by the piggery business owners.”So that there is no loss to the farmers, that is something we will be looking at”, added Bora.

At the same time, Bora said, a census of the number of people employed in the business is being collected, so that further action can be taken in that regard.

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