African Swine Fever breaks in Tripura as govt orders mass execution of pigs

After Mizoram, now Tripura is also witnessing the havoc of African Swine Fever. Cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) have been detected at Devipur, a government breeding farm run by the Animal Resource Development Department (ARDD) under Sepahijala district of Tripura. Top sources in the department, requesting anonymity, gave this information to ANI.

A team of experts from Agartala's Disease Testing Center reached the farm and formed rapid response teams to handle the situation. A senior official of the disease testing laboratory run by the animal husbandry department said, “On April 7, three samples were sent to the North Eastern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for tests. On April 13, we received the last PCR report which confirmed That all the samples were positive."

He said, “Even now the symptoms of the pigs present in the farm indicate that the infectious disease has already entered the farm. Another report which was to come from the National Institute of Disease Diagnostics, Bhopal is yet to come. Tripura has not reached."

Sources said that mainly farmers have been advised to deal with this disease. He said, “We have constituted two task forces comprising ten people in each group. The teams will be headed by a veterinary officer and they will report directly to the panel of nodal officers. Dr. Mrinal, in-charge of ARDD’s disease testing laboratory Dutta and SDM Vishalgarh have been included in the team of nodal officers."

In the first phase, after mass killing, a 8 by 8 feet grave will be dug to bury the infected pigs. Apart from this, all the pigs are being reared in a private capacity.

Sources said, “Initially the pigs available within a kilometer radius of the farm will be killed and buried to prevent the spread of the disease. We are trying to limit the disease in the farm and its perimeter so that The virus should not spread across the state."

When asked about the official confirmation, sources said, as per procedure, laboratory officials will write a letter to the Government of India and the Center will apprise the chief secretary of the matter. "All further action can be taken only after the official communication from the state government reaches," he said. According to officials, a total of 63 big pigs died due to unknown reasons, which came as a shock.