Aizawl: More than 800 pigs have been killed by African Swine Fever (ASF) in its third resurgence since May, officials of the state’s Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary said.
According to officials, the third wave of the ASF outbreak struck the eastern part of the state in May killing hundreds of pigs.
While there was a slight containment in June, the African Swine Fever (ASF) resurfaced in July, impacting several villages in Champhai, Khawzawl, and other eastern districts, according to reports.
The resurgence of the outbreak also affected Pukpui village in south Mizoram’s Lunglei district, resulting in the deaths of approximately 260 pigs in the village so far.
Since May, over 260 pigs have died in Kawlkulh, Khawzawl district, they reported.
To date, a total of 825 pigs have succumbed to ASF during this third wave, which started in May. Additionally, more than 400 pigs have been culled to prevent the further spread of the disease within the same period.
Reports indicate that cases of pig deaths are being recorded nearly every day.
The initial outbreak of ASF was reported in March 2021 at Lungsen village in Lunglei district, near the border with Bangladesh. In 2021, a staggering 33,417 pigs died, and over 10,900 pigs were culled.
The previous year also witnessed the death of more than 10,000 pigs due to ASF.
In July of the same year, carcasses of wild boar were discovered in the jungles of Champhai district in the eastern part of the state, bordering Myanmar. Subsequently, the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal confirmed that the wild boars had succumbed to ASF.
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It’s worth noting that Mizoram shares a 510 km international border with Myanmar to the east and a 318 km border with Bangladesh to the west.
Mizoram has also grappled with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) outbreaks in 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020, resulting in the deaths of thousands of pigs and piglets and incurring losses of approximately Rs 10.62 crore.
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