GUWAHATI: Assam has banned sale and consumption of pork in Kamrup (Metro), Golaghat and Majuli, with the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) spreading to the three districts.
The state had already banned the sale of pigs and pork in Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Biswanath and Jorhat where the outbreak of the disease was initially detected.
The death toll of pigs infected with the ASF virus has risen to 13, 382, state animal husbandry and veterinary minister, Atul Bora informed on Sunday.
The National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal had earlier this month confirmed the presence of the ASF virus in pigs in the state after samples sent there tested positive for the virus.
“The death toll of pigs in Assam due to ASF has reached 13,382. Sale and consumption of pork has also been banned in Kamrup (Metro), Golaghat and Majuli districts. Our task force is taking all possible preventive measures to protect the pigs from the dreaded disease,” Bora said.
A committee comprising top government officials and experts was constituted to discuss measures after deaths of several hundreds of pigs were reported from the six districts.
Meanwhile, the minister requested the piggery owners in the state to adhere to the government’s guidelines and take up stringent bio-safety measures to stop spread of the outbreak.
Bora had on Saturday visited the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) and reviewed steps taken to protect wild boars in the park from the deadly disease. “A six-foot deep and two-km long canal was dug inside Agoratoli range of KNP to deter the wild boars from straying to the adjoining villages and domestic pigs from entering the park,” he informed on Twitter.
The viral disease which affects pigs, however, does not transmit from animals to humans.