African Swine Fever kills 1,450 pigs in Mizoram

AIZAWL: As many as 1,450 pigs have died in Mizoram after contracting the deadly African Swine Fever (ASF).

The deaths were confirmed by the Mizoram Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department.

Besides this, another 245 pigs also died in unnatural death.

However, the cause behind the unusual pig deaths is determined yet.

Tissue and serum samples were sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Disease (NIHSAD) in Bhopal for a confirmatory test.

The swine fever was first detected at Lungsen village in Mizoram on March 21, 2021.

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The Mizoram government recently declared some areas--Lungsen village and Lunglei Electric Veng locality in Lunglei district, Armed Veng and Edenthar neighbourhood in Aizawl district, Keitum village in Serchhip district, and a locality (Vaipi-I) in Siaha town of the district as “epicentre” of ASF after the dreaded pig disease which has killed more than 1,000 pigs in a month.

The first pig death due to ASF was reported at Lungsen village under Tlabung sub-division in south Mizoram”s Lunglei district on March 21.

A total of 1,119 pigs have died in the state due to ASF, resulting in financial losses of over Rs 4.47 crore.

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In 2020, the infectious disease claimed the lives of over 17,000 pigs in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Mizoram.

African swine fever is a highly infectious and fatal viral disease that affects swine of all ages, both domestic and feral. ASF does not pose a health risk to humans and cannot be passed from pigs to humans.

ASF can be found in countries all over the world, but it is most prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa. It has recently spread to China, Mongolia, and Vietnam, as well as portions of the European Union, however, it’s never been discovered in the US.

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