African swine fever outbreak in Phek and Mokokchung

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Jan. 14 (EMN): The department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services on Friday issued a notification informing the general public that African swine fever (ASF) outbreak has reoccurred in some parts of the state.

It said the outbreak was confirmed through the RT PCR (Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction) test of samples collected from Longjongkong and Satier villages under Mokokchung district, and Kuzatu village, Wazeho Block under Phek district.

The test was done at North Eastern Regional Disease Diagnostics Laboratory (NHDRDDL), Khanapara in Guwahati.

Sources from local administration also told Eastern Mirror that the sample was collected from Kuzatu village under Phor circle.

‘However, all the 10 (recognised) villages, including Wazeho town under Phor circle have suffered casualties of the African swine fever (ASF). Every household rearing pig has been greatly affected. In some villages, there is not a single pig left,’ said the source.

‘Not only Phor circle but Pokhungri and even Meluri areas have suffered casualties,’ added the source.

Meanwhile, the department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services informed that ‘a radius of one km from the epicentre of the disease outbreak at the affected villages under Mokokchung and Phek has been declared Infected Zone (IZ) and a radius of 10 km Surveillance Zone with immediate effect until further notice’.

It also requested the public, pig farmers, pig traders, butchers, village functionaries and colony members ‘to remain cautious and vigilant and report any unusual mortality of domestic pigs and feral pigs to the nearest veterinary institute and assist the department for sero-surveillance, control, containment and eradication as per the National Action Plan issued by the Government of India’.