TIL Desk/National/Aizawl/ In the midst of the rising Covid-19 pandemic, the African Swine Fever (ASF) has struck pigs in Mizoram, causing deaths of over 5,000 animals in different districts, officials said on Friday.
Chief Minister Zoramthanga, in a tweet tagging the Prime Minister’s Office and Union DoNER (Development of North Eastern Region) Minister Jitendra Singh, said that the state is struggling with its livestock sector.
“Piggery farmers and their economic stances are at stake!” he posted. Officials of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Department said that due to the ASF,at least 5,027 pigs and piglets has so far died since March causing financial loss to the tune of Rs 20.10 crore.
The ASF was first reported in southern Mizoram’s Lunglei district on March 21 with 2,349 pigs and piglets having died, but subsequently 1,656 pigs died in Aizawl district.
Many villages and localities in the two districts have been declared “infected areas”. According to the officials, of the 11 districts in Mizoram, currently the ASF outbreak have been reported from nine districts. They said that unusual deaths of 120 pigs have also been reported so far but the cause of death is yet to be ascertained.
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