Kottayam: Cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) have been reported from two piggeries Kottikal and Vazhoor panchayats in Kottayam, following which district collector John V Samuel has instructed to cull the affected pigs.
The instructions, in line with the central government's guidelines, further state that pigs must be culled and cremated within a radius of one kilometre of these farms.
"All pigs in the affected farms and within a one km radius will be culled and disposed of according to the central government guidelines. The District Animal Husbandry Officer has been assigned to oversee this process," Samuel said in a statement.
In addition, surveillance has been intensified to thoroughly examine livestock in the ten-kilometre radius of the infected farms.
The district administration has imposed a ban on the sales and distribution of pork along with a prohibition on the transportation of pigs and fodders out of the affected zones.
"The distribution and sale of pork, as well as the transportation of pork and feed, from the infected areas have been prohibited. Similarly, the transportation of pigs, pork, or feed from these areas to other regions and vice versa is also banned," the collector said.
Authorities clarified that ASF is distinct from H1N1 or Swine Fever as it affects only pigs and poses no risk to humans or other animals. However, as there are no vaccines or preventive treatments available yet for ASF, it is expected to result in significant pig mortality.
This is not the first instance of ASF in Kerala as the fever was first detected in 2022 with outbreaks in the Mananthavady Municipality area and other panchayats in Kannur.
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