Tripura: Govt prepares to cull pigs after confirmation of African Swine Fever outbreak in Sepahijala district

Asked about the government’s current course of action, the minister said, “This disease has no treatment. So, it’s clear that the affected animals have to be destroyed or culled. But it’s yet to be decided if we have to follow such procedures outside the breeding farm or not. There are some central guidelines to follow in that case. I have called a meeting tomorrow. Steps will be taken on an urgent basis.”

Meanwhile, a team of veterinarians from the state disease investigation centre and district animal husbandry authorities visited the breeding farm Monday. The officials said they have found that at least 65 pigs had died since the last week of March. The casualties included a few exotic varieties of pig originating in European countries, they added.

Meanwhile, it has been learnt that the state government wants to double check the data and is now waiting for a second report from the Bhopal-based National Disease Diagnostic Institute.

As per official sources, a task force has been set up with administrative officials and veterinarians from the Animal Resource Development Department (ARDD) to deal with the situation at Devipur breeding farm.

In September 2021, a similar outbreak of African Swine Fever was confirmed at an exotic pig breeding farm in Kanchanpur under North Tripura district. The outbreak in the state last year happened soon after a similar outbreak was reported from adjoining Mizoram, which claimed the lives of nearly 25,000 pigs in five months.