African swine fever confirmed in Kannur; Pigs to be culled through electrical stunning

The highly contagious disease was detected for the first time in Kerala last month

After Wayanad, African swine fever has been confirmed at a private pig farm in Kanichar Panchayat in Kannur district, after more than 15 pigs on the farm had died due to the disease in the last ten days.

The confirmation was made on Sunday evening after the samples were tested at the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal.

Last month, for the first time in Kerala, African swine fever was confirmed in two farms in Manthavady and Tavinhal in Wayanad, where pigs were culled.

In Kannur, the Animal Husbandry department will start the process of electrical stunning of pigs in pig farms within a kilometer radius of the area today or by tommorow, said S.J Lekha, District Animal Husbandary officer. It has also been instructed to monitor pigs in pig farms within a radius of 10 km from this area, she said. 

Ms. Lekha said that a meeting has been called by the district collector and necessary preventive steps would be taken to prevent the spread of the disease. African swine fever will not affect humans, but they can be carriers and spread the disease. Hence, those working in pig farms and others who visited farms have been warned to be vigilant, and are being instructed to be in 24 hours quarantine, she said.

She further said that the movement of pigs would also be restricted within the district.