Fearing African swine fever spread from Kerala, Dakshina Kannada gets surveillance at border checkposts

Surveillance has been strengthened in border areas of Dakshina Kannada connecting Kerala, by setting up checkposts, to control the spread of African swine fever (ASF) from the neighbouring state.

Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Dr Arun Kumar Shetty said check posts have been keeping a close watch on transportation of pig and pork.

Check posts have been set up at Saradka-Vittal, Talapady and Jalsur, as a part of surveillance, said Dr Shetty to DH.

African swine fever is a highly contagious viral disease found in pigs. It can spread through direct contact or otherwise to pigs. At the same time, it is not transmitted to humans, said Dr Shetty.

As per the available records with the department, Dakshina Kannada district has 7000 population of pigs.

“This year, there was no outbreak of African swine fever cases in Dakshina Kannada so far. However, there is an outbreak of the disease in neighbouring Kerala. Last year, there was an outbreak of disease in Kinnigoli, Moodbidri and Neermarga resulting in culling of the pigs”, he said

The deputy director said that in case of outbreak, a one-kilometre radius of the piggery, from where the disease was reported, will be declared as the infected zone and 10-km area around the piggery will be declared as the surveillance zone. In the one-km radius, all the transportation of pigs will be banned.

“Once the cases are confirmed, all the pigs in the piggery will be culled and it will be disposed of scientifically. After disposing culled pigs, the area will be sterilized and the public will be asked not to visit the spot by installing a board,’’ he said.

He said piggery unit owners have been asked to take precautionary measures and not to purchase pigs from the disease affected areas. The owners should maintain cleanliness in the surroundings of the piggery units by spraying sodium hypochlorite.