African swine fever found in Madhya Pradesh, 50 pigs culled

At least 50 pigs have been culled in the Damoh district of Madhya Pradesh after cases of African swine fever came to light, an official said on Thursday. Sources in the state veterinary department said around 1,000 more pigs might be culled if the initial measures intended at checking the spread of the infection do not prove effective.

The samples of some pigs that died in the Hata area, 35 km from Damoh district headquarters, were sent to a government lab in Bhopal, which confirmed three days back that they were infected by the African swine fever," District Veterinary Officer B K Asati told PTI. Pigs from one km periphery of the place where the deaths occurred are being cleared (culled) and their carcasses are being disposed of properly, he said. Around 50 pigs have been culled so far," the officer said. The nine km area surrounding the place where the pigs died is being monitored closely, Asati said.