Kannur:African swine fever has been confirmed again in Kottiyur village, located in Kannur, Kerala. The state Animal Husbandry Department has verified the presence of the disease in pigs at the Royal Pig Farm in Nelliyode. Swine flu was last reported in the district in June of 2023.
Following the identification of the swine fever, the District Collector, who also serves as the Chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority, ordered the immediate culling of all pigs at the farm, as well as at two other farms in the area, while adhering to all protocols. The Collector has also instructed the destruction of the fodder stored at the farm and the proper disposal of the culled pigs according to established guidelines.
An area with a radius of one kilometre around the farm has been designated as an infected zone. Additionally, a 10-kilometer radius surrounding this area has been established as a disease surveillance zone. There are restrictions on the distribution of pork within these zones, and the operation of pork meat-selling centres is being closely monitored.
Transportation of pigs in and out of the districts has also been banned. It will also be verified if pigs have been transferred from infected farms to other farms within the past two months. The animal welfare officer was instructed to submit an immediate report regarding the incident.
The Animal Welfare Department in collaboration with the Police and RTO will carry out inspections at checkposts and other entry points into the district as there is a possibility of illegal smuggling of pork and pigs from other states and districts into the district. The Collector also mandated that only pigs from the disease-free zone be permitted entry into the district.
