Outbreak of African Swine Fever in Assam’s Sivasagar

The Northeastern state of Assam is witnessing an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF), a highly infectious viral disease affecting pigs. 

The recent outbreak comes from the Sivasagar district where the villages are seeing a surge in cases.
According to the district animal husbandry officer, 280 pigs have already died in Sivasagar due to African Swine fever (ASF).

It is now advised to slaughter any remaining afflicted pigs in order to prevent infections from spreading in the region. Pork, on the other hand, has been prohibited in places where swine flu has been detected.

According to data from the state's Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, 526 pigs died in Mizoram this year as a result of ASF, with 111 pigs dying as a result of a suspected case of the illness.

Meanwhile, the Sikkim Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, has recorded 115 pig fatalities, including probable ASF cases.

According to the 2019 livestock census, Assam has more than 24 lakh pigs, Mizoram has more than 25 lakh, Sikkim has more than 39,000, and Mizoram has more than 5.5 lakh. Other Northeastern states are also major pork-producing centres.

As thousands of farmers in these states rely on pig farming for a living, last year's ASF epidemic in Mizoram resulted in losses of around Rs 60.82 crore.