Unknown disease first reported on Nov 3, silence on ASF broken on Nov 13 Outbreak finally confirmed at Kakching, CCpur

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 13 : Finally, the Directorate of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry has notified the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) at Moirangthem Leikai Khamlangba Pareng and Kakching Turel Wangma (ward No 5) of Kakching district and Kangvai village of Churachandpur district.
Notably, it was on November 3 that the Manipur Progressive Pig Farmers’ Association reported in the media about an unknown contagious disease infecting pigs and the disease spreading fast in some parts of Manipur. But the Directorate of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry notified the outbreak of ASF only today (November 13).
Speaking to media persons at his Sanjenthong office today, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Director Dr RK Khogendrajit said it has been confirmed that the death of pigs reared by M Barunkumar of Moirangthem Leikai Khamlangba Pareng, M Ramananda of Kakching Turel Wangma (Ward No 5) and Khaimuon of Kangvai village was caused by ASF.
Dr Khogendrajit said that there is neither any vaccine or treatment to save pigs infected by ASF and mortality rate of pigs infected by ASF is almost 100 per cent.
Saying that ASF is not zoonotic which means it does not infect humans,  the Director appealed to the public not to panic.
Even though ASF does not infect humans, the germs carrying the disease may spread from pig to another through human bodies and clothes worn by humans, he said.
In order to control and contain ASF, comprehensive biosecurity measures must be put in place.
There is also a National action plan to control and contain ASF. If ASF is detected in any State, control and containment measures must be taken up as per the National action plan, Dr Khogendrajit said.
He said that the Directorate of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry has taken up control and containment measures under the Prevention and Control of Infectious and contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009.
Together with district administrations concerned, district forest offices, Superintendents of Police, Assam Rifles, municipalities and village/block level authorities, the Veterinary Depart- ment will take up control and containment measures in line with the National Action for control, Containment and Eradication of African Swine Fever 2020 issued by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, he said.
The department has constituted 60 rapid response teams for control, containment and eradication of ASF and the public can contact the Joint Director, DVO Kakching and Thoubal on mobile number 7085545721 and the joint Director, DVO Churachandpur on 9436031052, the Director   said.
He said that rapid response teams will go to the epicentres of ASF outbreak and they will take up necessary control and containment measures as per the action plan.
A dedicated ASF control room has been opened at the State Veterinary Hospital, Sanjenthong and daily report of the control and containment measures can be obtained from the ASF control room at 5.30 pm every day.
Soon after ASF outbreak was confirmed at Kakching and Churachandpur, Joint Directors of Kakching/Thoubal and Churachandpur went to the field and they have taken up control and containment measures with necessary logistic support provided by the Directorate of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, Dr Khogendrajit said.
As ASF has been confirmed, the DCs concerned will notify infected zones as well as surveillance zones, he said.
He also appealed to all the people not to take pigs, pork and feeds from inside the infected zones and surveillance zones to other places.
He further appealed to all concerned not to dispose of carcasses of pigs infected by ASF or their meat at lakes, rivers, ponds, drains, other water bodies, roadsides and paddy fields etc.
The Director appealed to all the people to cooperate with the department’s control and containment measures.