Swine Flu

Shillong, May 5: Classical swine fever has killed over a dozen pigs in two districts of Meghalaya.
The Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary department, GMRK Marak said the pigs died on different dates in East Khasi Hills district and Ri-Bhoi district over the last couple of months.
District-level rapid response teams have been formed to continuously monitor the situation.
“Six pigs have died in some villages under Mawphlang Assembly Constituency and another eight pigs in some villages under Umsning Assembly Constituency,” Marak said.
“From the post mortem reports, it is found that they died due to the classical swine fever,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Khasi Jaintia Pig Association (KJPA) has decided to stop selling pork for the next two weeks from May 6 in the eastern part of State.
“We have decided to suspend sale of pork after our meeting with the Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary on Monday on the reported African Swine flu and to prevent the outbreak of the diseases,” KJPA president Donlang Kharumnuid said.
It may be mentioned that last week the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department had banned the import of pigs from outside the State after mortality of the animal in neighbouring Assam and also in Arunachal Pradesh.
Subsequently, after tests were conducted and it was found that pigs in these two States had died due to African Swine Flu, the department had banned inter-district movement of pigs.
The Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department has asked all pig farms, private farms and pig farmers to take adequate measures for strict hygiene and bio-security such as disinfection of the farms, equipments and restricting entry of any outside person into pig farms.
“Signs of high fever in pigs and any abnormal mortality of pigs should be brought to the notice of the District or Sub Divisional Animal Husbandry & Veterinary,” the department had stated in its order.
“All Government pig farms and private pig farms should take adequate measures for strict hygiene and bio-security such as disinfection of the farms, equipment and restricting entry of any outside person into pig farms,” a Government notification said.