African Swine Fever Outbreak In Kerala's Thrissur, District Collector Orders Culling Of 310 Pigs

The District Collector has also directed the District Animal Husbandry Officer to oversee the culling and burial of pigs in the affected areas of Kattilapoovam and Madakkathara.

An outbreak of African Swine Fever, a highly contagious and deadly disease affecting both farm-raised and feral pigs, has been reported from a farm in Thrissur district's Madakkathara panchayat, officials said on Friday. The disease, which spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected pigs, has prompted swift action from local authorities.

In response to the outbreak, the Thrissur district collector has ordered the culling of 310 pigs at the affected private farm to prevent further spread of the disease. The District Collector has also directed the District Animal Husbandry Officer to oversee the culling and burial of pigs in the affected areas of Kattilapoovam and Madakkathara.

To manage the situation, two rapid response teams comprising doctors and attendants have been deployed to carry out the culling process. These measures are aimed at controlling the outbreak and protecting the remaining pig population in the region.

 

 

 

"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 in Thrissur, as per a report on PTI.

According to officials, African Swine Fever is distinct from other types of fever. As it affects only pigs, the likelihood of transmission to other animals or humans is low, authorities have reported.

However, the area within a one-kilometer radius of the affected farm has been declared a disease-affected zone, while the area within a 10-kilometer radius has been designated a disease surveillance zone.

Meanwhile, the outbreak comes just as three persons have died to brain-eating amoeba infection in Kerala.