Thrissur (Kerala), 5 July

An outbreak of African Swine Fever, a highly contagious and deadly swine disease that can affect both farm-raised and feral (wild) pigs, has been reported from a farm in a village in Kerala's Thrissur district, officials said on Friday.

Due to the outbreak of swine fever, which can be readily transmitted from one pig to another through direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected pig, the Thrissur district collector has ordered the culling of 310 pigs at a private farm in Thrissur district's Madakkathara panchayat, they said. "The disease was confirmed in the pigs owned by Kuttalapuzha Babu of Veliyanthara in the 14th ward. The district Collector has directed the district animal husbandry officer to cull the pigs and bury them," according to an official release here.

A team consisting of doctors, livestock inspectors and attendants will conduct the culling process, and further primary disinfection measures will also be taken, it said.

The area within a one-kilometre radius of the affected farm has been declared a disease-affected area, and the area within a 10-km radius has been declared a disease surveillance area. "The transportation of pork from the affected areas, the operation of such farms, and the movement of pigs, pork, and feed from the affected areas to other parts of the district, as well as the movement of these items from other areas into the affected area, have been prohibited until further orders," the release said.

Officials said the Animal Husbandry Department will investigate whether pigs were transported from the affected farm to other farms within the last two months. The department will also conduct strict checks at checkposts and other entry points in the district to prevent the illegal transportation of pigs and pork from Thrissur or other areas, they said.

Following the confirmation of the disease in Madakkathara panchayat, precautionary measures will be taken in other areas of the district as well, officials said.

If the swine fever virus is detected in other areas, the municipal/government secretaries, village officers and rural development officials concerned should inform the relevant veterinary officer and then take the necessary steps to control the spread of the virus, they said.

According to the officials, African Swine Fever (ASF) is different from other types of fever. Since it is a disease that affects only pigs, the possibility of transmission to other animals or humans is low, authorities have informed.