Guwahati: A fresh outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Mizoram has already claimed the lives of over 3,050 pigs across four of the state’s eleven districts since resurfacing last month, an official confirmed on Saturday.
According to an official of Mizoram’s Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department (AHVD), it has declared 46 localities in Siaha, Lawngtlai, Lunglei, and Mamit districts of the state as ASF-infected zones.
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Notably, all four affected districts share porous, unfenced borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, raising concerns about cross-border transmission.
Siaha district remains the hardest hit, accounting for a staggering 1,651 pig deaths. Lawngtlai town, bordering both Myanmar and Bangladesh, has also reported a significant toll of 1,189 pig fatalities.
In an effort to contain the rapid spread of the highly contagious disease, AHVD teams have culled approximately 1,000 pigs in the affected districts.
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While the sharp increase in pig deaths observed earlier in the week has shown signs of slowing since Thursday, AHVD officials continue to describe the situation as “very serious”, the official asserted.
The official further stated that the department officials have indicated that the prevailing hot weather conditions coupled with intermittent rainfall are unfortunately conducive to the propagation of the ASF virus.
Senior AHVD officials are actively monitoring the affected areas and implementing stringent containment measures, urging pig farmers and the general public to maintain high vigilance.
According to the reports, the recent outbreak follows a devastating ASF wave last year, which resulted in a loss of Rs 336.49 crore for Mizoram, with 15,000 pigs succumbing to the disease and around 24,200 others culled as a preventative measure.
The initial ASF outbreak in Mizoram began in mid-March 2021 and has since inflicted substantial economic damage on farmers and government farms.
Since 2021, the northeastern state has incurred a total financial loss of Rs 896.69 crore due to ASF, with significant pig deaths and culling figures reported annually: 33,417 deaths and 12,568 culls in 2021; 12,795 deaths and 11,686 culls in 2022; and 1,139 deaths and 980 culls in 2023.
Following the devastation, the government has provided compensation to numerous families who have suffered losses due to the highly communicable disease, the official added.