African Swine Fever Outbreak In Kerala After 37 Pigs Die At Farm In Kozhikode

Kozhikode: The Animal Husbandry Department has confirmed an outbreak of African swine fever at a pig farm in the Kodenchery area of Kerala’s Kozhikode, where 37 pigs died in quick succession last month.

Officials said the affected farm, located in Mundoor near Narangathod, is owned by Vipin Varghese. “The pigs initially showed symptoms of fever before collapsing and dying en masse. A preliminary examination conducted by Kodenchery Senior Veterinary Surgeon Dr CV Ravi suspected that it was African swine fever,” they said.

Samples of internal organs from the dead pigs were sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases Laboratory in Bhopal for testing. The Bhopal lab later confirmed that African swine fever was the cause of death. The Kodancherry Animal Husbandry Department received the confirmation report on Thursday.

“We gave the owner specific guidelines for disposing of the dead pigs. The owner disposed of the bodies accordingly,” Dr Ravi said.

Seventeen full-grown pigs and twenty piglets were present on the farm when the disease was detected. Following the confirmation, the Animal Husbandry Department has intensified preventive measures in Kodenchery, which has the largest number of pig farms in the Kozhikode district.

“A team led by a veterinary surgeon has already visited all farms and provided necessary guidelines,” Dr Ravi told ETV Bharat. “Steps have also been taken to disinfect the surrounding areas of the farms.” The department has also decided to summon all pig farm owners to the Kodancherry Grama Panchayat on Monday for an awareness session.

Initial investigations suggest that the infection may have spread from wild boars to domestic pigs in Kodenchery, which lies close to the forest area. The lack of adequate fencing and other protective facilities near the farm is believed to have contributed to the spread.

Experts warned that African swine fever is highly contagious among pigs. Once infected, it spreads rapidly within herds, and chances of survival are extremely low.

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