Guwahati, May 5: African Swine Fever, a fatal disease in domestic pigs, has been detected for the first time in India. According to reports, African Swine Fever or ASF has killed over 2500 pigs in Assam since February. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has asked the Veterinary and Forest Departments to work with National Pig Research Centre of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to formulate a strategy to protect pigs from the deadly virus. Sarbananda Sonowal Expresses Concern over African Swine Fever Cases in Assam.

What is African Swine Fever?

African Swine Flu is a highly contagious haemorrhagic viral disease of domestic and wild pigs with almost 100 per cent mortality rate. According to the World Organisation For Animal Health, the disease is caused by a large DNA virus of the Asfarviridae family, which also infects ticks of the genus Ornithodoros. The ASF spread if an infected pig comes in contact with a non-infected pig. It also spreads through ingestion of contaminated material. Assam CM, Animal Husbandry Minister Visit RILEM in Rani Amid Outbreak of African Swine Fever in Pigs.

Does African Swine Fever Pose Threat to Public Health?

While swine flu can spread from animals to humans, swine fever does not, and therefore is not a public health threat.

Assam's Animal Husbandry Minister Atul Bora claimed the African Swine Fever has come from China just like coronavirus (COVID-19). "The disease was detected towards the end of February. It started in April 2019 at a village in Xizang province in China bordering Arunachal Pradesh," Bora said. "The virus spreads through pig's meat, saliva, blood and tissue. So there will also be no transportation of pigs between districts," he added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 05, 2020 11:42 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).