Tripura : African Swine Flu Detected; ARDD Orders Mass Execution

Posted in Featured, Northeast, Tripura

 

  • Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura 

After detection of African Swine Fever (ASF) cases in neighbouring state Mizoram, similar cases have been found in a government-run breeding farm of Tripura’s Devipur under Sepahijala district, said a higher official in the Animal Resource Development department told Northeast Today in condition of anonymity on Monday.

Aiming to handle the situation precisely, a team of experts from Agartala’s Disease Investigation Centre reached the breeding farm.

A senior official of the ARD department said “Three samples were sent to North Eastern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for testing on April 07 last. The PCR report confirmed on April 13 last that all samples were positive. The infectious disease has already entered the breeding farm as symptoms were found among the pigs sheltered there. However, another report from Bhopal’s National Disease Diagnostic Institute is yet to reach the state.”

“Two task forces comprising ten people were formed in each of the groups. A veterinary officer has been appointed for each of the teams. The nodal officers will be reported directly by them. In the team of nodal officers, ARD department’s Disease Investigation laboratory Dr Mrinal Dutta and SDM of Bishalgarh sub-division in Sepahijala district have been included”, the senior official said.

Firstly, the infected pigs are buried by digging 8 feet by 8 feet graves after mass execution to contain the spread of the disease so that the virus does not spread in different parts of the state.

When asked about official confirmation, official said, the laboratory authorities will write a letter to the Government of India and the Centre will communicate the matter to the state’s Chief Secretary according to the process. Once the official letter reaches the state government, then only all the further proceedings can be carried out.

Officials of the ARD department said that alarm has been raised as a total of 63 mature pigs died due to unknown reasons. There were 265 mature pigs and 185 piglets in the breeding farm before the outbreak.

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