Manipur’s Churachandpur & Kakching districts hit by African Swine Fever

IMPHAL — With the confirmation of outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in pigs in Manipur’s Kakching and Churachandpur districts “based on laboratory report,” the state authority on Thursday asked the concerned stakeholders to take up immediate measures for control and containment of the disease.

Speaking to the media in Imphal, Director RK Khogendra of state Veterinary and Animal Husbandry department informed that three locations — two in Kakching district and one in Churachandpur district — have been notified as controlled area for ASF with immediate effect to prevent, control and eradicate the disease.

The notified areas are Moirangthem Leikai Khamlangba Pareng and Kakching Turel Wangma (Ward number 5) of the Kakching district besides Kangvai village in Churachandpur.

Regarding government preparations, Khogendra informed that 60 rapid response teams have been formed to implement control and containment measures in the state.

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A control and monitoring unit has been set up at the Directorate of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, Sanjenthong, Imphal, to track the progress of containment measures, the director added.

He appealed to the public not to discard dead pigs or waste from infected zones, to prevent disease spread. Following the notification of the ASF-controlled area under the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Disease in Animals Act, deputy commissioners and the director of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry are to implement measures per the National Action Plan 2020 for ASF control in the ‘Infected zone’ (1 km radius), ‘Surveillance zone’ (10 km radius), and ‘Free zone’ (beyond surveillance), as per a state department notification.

As per the notification, no pig shall be moved from place where it is kept within the controlled area and no person shall take out any animal of the notified species from the controlled area, dead or alive which is infected or reasonably suspected to be4 have been infected.

On November 5, Kakching district Deputy Commissioner Rohit Anand, upon receiving reports of suspected African Swire Fever (ASF) in some areas, directed the authorities of Kakching Municipal Council, Kakching Khunou Municipal Council, and Sugunu Municipal Council to shut down all pork butcher shops within their jurisdictions until the situation is controlled.

The step was taken amid a suspected ASF outbreak in parts of Kakching district, which has led to unusual pig mortality.