Kerala: African Swine Fever Confirmed In Wayanad. 300 Pigs Ordered To Be Culled

African Swine Fever: After five pigs died at two farms in Wayanad, the state animal husbandry department sent samples for testing, which confirmed the infection.

A pig farm (Image for representation) ( Image Source :ABP Nadu )

African swine fever has been confirmed among pigs at two farms in Kerala's Wayanad district. The samples of the pigs were sent after some of them died en masse. Kerala Animal Husbandry Minister K Chinchurani confirmed this on Friday. Directions have been issued to cull 300 pigs in the farms, it is learnt.

"African swine fever is reported in Wayanad district of Kerala," news agency ANI quoted the minister as saying. 

African Swine fever reported in Wayanad district of Kerala, says state's Animal Husbandry Minister J Chinchurani.

— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2022

After five pigs died at two farms in Thavinjal and Kaniyaram, the state animal husbandry department sent samples to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal for testing.

The test results confirmed the infection, after which directions were issued to cull 300 pigs, an official told PTI.

Though the infection is not a threat to humans, any person in contact with the infected animal can spread the infection to other animals.

Last week, African swine flu was reported in Uttar Pradesh and Assam. Lucknow has banned the sale of pork meat in Lucknow. The Lucknow Municipal Corporation and the animal husbandry department are also taking all steps to contain the spread of infection, media reports said.

This infection was first detected in Africa in 1920, according to reports.