Thrissur District Faces Severe African Swine Fever Outbreak

An outbreak of African Swine Fever has been reported from a farm in Thrissur's Madakkathara panchayat in Kerala. The area's district collector has ordered the culling of 310 pigs to contain the situation. Precautionary and disinfection measures are being taken, and movement restrictions have been imposed to prevent the further spread of the disease.

An outbreak of African Swine Fever, a highly contagious and deadly swine disease, has been reported from a farm in Kerala's Thrissur district, officials confirmed on Friday.

In response to the outbreak, the Thrissur district collector has ordered the culling of 310 pigs at the affected private farm in Madakkathara panchayat to contain the disease, which can spread rapidly through direct contact with bodily fluids of an infected pig. The pigs owned by Kuttalapuzha Babu of Veliyanthara in the 14th ward were confirmed to be infected.

A team comprising doctors, livestock inspectors, and attendants will execute the culling and implement primary disinfection measures. The area within a one-kilometer radius of the affected farm is now classified as a disease-affected zone, while a 10-kilometer radius is under disease surveillance. Transporting pork and moving pigs or feed within these areas are prohibited until further orders.

Officers from the Animal Husbandry Department are investigating potential pig movements from the farm within the last two months and enforcing strict controls at district entry points to prevent illegal transport of pigs and pork.

Officials are also on alert in other parts of the district to mitigate any possible spread. Municipal and government authorities are instructed to coordinate with veterinary officers to control any additional outbreaks effectively. Though the virus impacts only pigs and poses minimal risk to other animals or humans, stringent measures are deemed necessary.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)