Assam: State yet to get rid of African Swine Fever

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Assam is yet to get rid of African Swine Fever. Veterinarians have identified 13 new epicentres of this fever, leading to more death and culling. The state pig farmers continue to suffer losses.

According to sources in the Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, African Swine Fever has been ravaging Assam since the last part of 2020. The problem has compounded as African Swine Fever does not have any vaccine anywhere in the world. Apart from pig farmers, African Swine Fever has also impacted the state economy. Assam is the supplier of pigs to other states in the Northeast.

According to official sources, veterinarians detected 13 new epicentres of African Swine Fever in October this year alone. The newly detected epicentres are at Tokowbari and Chetiagaon in the Dhemaji district; Mohanpuwalimora and Bansbari in the Dibrugarh district; Betbari Da Gaon, Chenimara Gaon and Metak Gohain Chuk in the Sivasagar district; Era Dighalpani, Hugalkata and Dekachang in the Karbi Anglong; Naharbari in the Sonitpur district; and Kashkuri and Kathlartari in the Barpeta district. The new epicentres have affected 38 farm families. The Directorate had to cull 269 pigs. As many as 217 pigs died of the fever.

Veterinarians detected 116 epicentres of African Swine Fever in the state since the last part of 2020, affecting 14,345 farm families. The Directorate culled 3,211 pigs during this period when 41,947 pigs died of the fever.

The mortality rate of African Swine Fever is 100 per cent. The Directorate appealed to the pig farmers to report their nearest veterinary centres if they notice any fever-like symptoms in their pigs as the African Swine Fever spreads from pig to pig very fast.

State and the Central governments had a pig farm each at Rani on the outskirts of Guwahati. However, the Directorate had to cull all the pigs in these two farms.

Also Read: MUKROH INCIDENT: National Human Rights Commission seeks report from SPs

Also Watch: