Cumulative pig death count reaches 43,000
Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The menace of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the state has not abated till date, with another epicentre of the disease found in Seleng Tea Estate of Selenghat in the Jorhat district. Since the month of May 2024, three epicentres have been found in Assam, and a total of 150 pigs have died till date.
According to state Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Department sources, with the discovery of the third epicentre in the state, the total number of ASF epicentres has increased to 147 since the outbreak of the disease in 2020. A cumulative count of around 43,000 pig deaths has been registered in the state since then.
In cases of pig habitation in nearby areas of ASF-affected zones, the culling of the pigs is a must. For that purpose, the veterinary department has culled 6,600 pigs so far. In cases of such culling of pigs, compensation is paid to the affected farmers by the central government. However, the farmers receive no compensation if the pigs die of the disease.
The department also fears that the outbreak of ASF is likely to continue for another 2–3 months. Speaking from past experience over the last three to four years, the department says the disease spreads faster during the summer months than in the winter. With the summer season continuing for another few months, the department is monitoring the situation to determine the extent of the spread of ASF.
The symptoms include high fever and rashes in the pigs, and the disease spreads swiftly after ASF is confirmed. There is also a high rate of mortality in the pigs, to the extent of 100% confirmed death. However, ASF does not spread to humans, the experts said.
It is a matter of huge concern that there has been no vaccine for ASF discovered till now. Several countries, including India, are working to discover a vaccine. There is also no medicine to combat the disease, although efforts are on to find a cure as well as preventive medicine for the disease that wipes out pig populations in large numbers.
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