July 9, 2024

ASF outbreak detected in Kerala, India

Around 310 swine were culled in the Thrissur district of Kerala, India by the state's animal husbandry department due to African swine fever (ASF), Business Standard reported.

Rapid response teams were deployed to cull and dispose of swine within a 1 km radius of the epicentre, according to a statement from India's Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

This incident marks the latest in India's ongoing struggle with ASF, which first appeared in the northeastern states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in May 2020. Since then, the disease has spread to approximately 24 states and union territories across the country.

"Further surveillance as per the action plan is to be carried out within a 10 km radius of the epicentre," the ministry stated.

The ministry also said the lack a vaccine for ASF underscores the challenges in managing animal diseases.

The National Action Plan for Control of ASF, formulated in 2020, outlines containment strategies and response protocols for such outbreaks. Considering the new outbreak in Kerala, the central government marked World Zoonoses Day on July 6 with an interactive session, emphasising the importance of animal disease management.

-      Business Standard