KOCHI: The district administration has confirmed the presence of African swine fever at Malayattoor Neeleswaram panchayat, in Angamaly, and intensified preventive measures. The virus was traced to a pig farm run by the Assumption monastery in the 13th ward of the panchayat.
District collector N S K Umesh has declared areas within a kilometre of the farm as infected and areas in a 10km radius as a disease-surveillance zone. Supply of pork, operation of shops and transportation of pork from affected areas has been suspended.
Guidelines issued
Authorities have ordered the culling of all pigs on the farm where the disease was found and in nearby farms, according to protocols and the central government’s plan of action. The corpses are to be removed according to norms, and the district animal protection officer must be informed.
They said that if pigs have been transported to other places from the farm in Neeleswaram panchayat, this should be investigated and reported immediately. Since there is a situation of illegal smuggling of pork and pigs from other states into Kerala, the animal welfare department should conduct strict checks at check posts and other entry points to the district along with police and RTO. The team must ensure that only pigs from disease-free zones are transported to the district, they said.
A rapid response team including police, officials from the Department of animal husbandry, local self-government and village officer is to be constituted. In case of detection of swine fever virus in other parts of the district, municipality, panchayat secretaries, village officers and rural dairy development officers are to inform the concerned animal protection officer. The animal protection officer should take measures to control the spread of the virus. The collector also directed departments to cooperate with the animal protection officer.