On August 7, in Kundapura, officials confirmed that the death of pigs in the region was caused by the African Swine Fever virus. The test reports from the Indian Animal Health and Biological Institute in Mangalore and Bangalore confirmed that the pigs died due to this virus. Dr. Reddapp, the deputy director of the Udupi Animal Husbandry Department, stated that the disease does not spread to humans or other animals.
A meeting was held at the Kundapura Taluk Panchayat office on Friday, where officials from various departments, including animal husbandry, health, forest, and panchayat raj, discussed the issue. Dr. Reddapp informed that there is no cure or vaccine for African Swine Fever, which is a viral disease.
The disease was first reported in the region four years ago in a pig farm in Belle, Kapu taluk, Udupi district. Since then, there have been no new cases, and the recent outbreak is the first instance of the disease being found in wild boars in the forest.
Dr. Vasanthakumar Shetty, the regional research officer at the Indian Animal Health and Biological Institute in Mangalore, stated that it is challenging to control the disease in wild boars in the forest, and it requires the cooperation of local administration, forest, and health departments.
The Kundapura animal husbandry department’s assistant director, Dr. Arun Hegde, said that a team has been formed to monitor the situation, and measures are being taken to prevent the spread of the disease. The affected area has been declared as an infected zone, and a surveillance zone has been established around it.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Vartha Bharati Udupi