The African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in Mizoram has begun to subside, an official said on Monday. The number of piggery deaths has significantly declined over the last few days, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department Joint Director (Livestock Health) Lalhmingthanga said.
However, the situation is not predictable as the outbreak could surge at any time because almost the entire state has been affected by ASF, he said. Last month, carcasses of wild boars were found in jungles near the Myanmar border, and the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal recently confirmed that they died of ASF.
Lalhmingthanga said that the state government is yet to inform the Centre about the detection of the highly contagious pig disease in wild boards. He said that the government would also write to the Centre, urging it to import vaccines for ASF from Vietnam.
With 13 more pigs succumbing to the virus on Sunday, as many as 10,039 pigs and piglets have died due to ASF since its recurrence in February this year, according to the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department.
More than 43,400 pigs and piglets have died in the outbreak of ASF since it was first reported in the state in March last year, it said. About 20,000 pigs have so far been culled to prevent the further spread of the virus. The outbreak has affected 137 villages and localities across 10 districts, the department said.
(With PTI inputs)
