African Swine Flu behind pigs' death in Assam, confirms NIHSAD

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Now it has been confirmed that it's African Swine Flu that has taken a heavy toll on pigs in the State. The National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal has confirmed it.

The test reports from the NIHSAD have made the authorities in the State Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department to be on their toes. State Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Minister Atul Bora has already held a meeting with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday over measures to be taken to prevent further spread of African Swine Flu in the State.

According to Bora, African Swine Flu has no vaccines, nor medicines. "We've no alternative but to cull pigs in accordance with the relevant protocols. However, before going for such a harsh measure, we're going to hold meetings with the affected pig farmers and experts so as to minimize the loss to the poor farmers who've taken bank loans to run their farming.

"According to department's records, there are around 30 lakh pigs in the State. We're not sure as to how many of them we can save. We are going to conduct random tests in the seven badly affected districts. One thing is sure that swine flu isn't a zoonotic disease (diseases that transmit from animals to humans). Humans have no reason to panic."