Agartala:
African Swine Flu cases have been reported from Tripura, on April 18.
According to sources in the Animal Resources Development Department (ARDD), three cases have been detected on one of their farms located at Devipur under Sepahijala district.
“On April 7, we had sent three samples to the North Eastern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (NERDDL) for testing and they came positive on April 13. The symptoms manifested by the pigs sheltered in the farm also indicate that the contagious disease has entered the farm. However, we are waiting for another report which will come from Bhopal’s National Disease Diagnostic institute,” a senior official said.
The official also informed that the department has formed two rapid response teams comprising ten people each to handle the situation.
“The teams will be led by a veterinary officer. They will directly report to the panel of nodal officers. In charge of ARDD’s Disease Investigation laboratory Mrinal Dutta and sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Bishalgarh have been included in the team of nodal officers,” the official added.
To thwart the spread of the contagious disease, initially, pigs within a 1 km radius of the farm will be culled. “However, the decision on mass culling will only be carried out after confirmation of the higher authorities,” he said.
According to officials, the ARDD decided to send the samples to the NERDDL after 63 pigs died due to unknown reasons on the farm. Before the outbreak, there were 265 mature pigs and 185 piglets in the pig shed of the farm.