African Swine Fever confirmed in Udupi wild boars, Thrissur pig unit

The Story in Brief

African Swine Fever (ASF) has been confirmed in wild boars in Udupi district, Karnataka, and at a government pig breeding unit in Thrissur, Kerala, prompting containment measures in both states. In Udupi, lab tests on three dead wild boars and one domestic pig returned positive on Friday, leading to a 1-km infected zone, closure of the affected pig farm for 90 days, and a 10-km surveillance zone with weekly pig sampling. The New Indian Express reports this is the first time ASF has been detected in wild boars in Karnataka, following a 2023 outbreak on a pig farm in Kaup taluk.

In Thrissur, the National Institute for High Security Animal Diseases laboratory confirmed ASF at the Kunnamkulam Pig Breeding Unit. Hindustan Times reports that the district administration has declared a 1-km infected zone and a 10-km surveillance zone from August 9, with movement restrictions on pigs and pork. A Rapid Response Team is coordinating control measures. Officials in both states stressed that ASF does not spread to humans and urged farmers to report unusual pig deaths immediately.