Punjab: Barnala reports first African swine fever case, guidelines issued
Chandigarh, September 15: Punjab Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar on Thursday said African Swine Fever (ASF) had been confirmed in a sample sent from Dhanaula village of Barnala district.
The area has been declared as an infected zone. Laljit Singh Bhullar said three suspected samples from Sangrur had been found negative.
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The Punjab Cabinet Minister said after confirmation from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National High Security Animal Disease Institute, Bhopal, the area from 0 to 1 km of radius from the epicentre at Dhanaula village had been declared "infected zone" while 1 to 10 km (9 km) area had been declared as "surveillance zone".
Thus, no live or dead pig, its meat or any related material shall be taken out of or brought into the infected zone. Officials of the department had also been instructed to keep a strict vigil in the surveillance zone, he added.
Giving details of six previously affected districts of the state, Animal Husbandry Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said after completing swine culling in declared infected zones to prevent further spread of the disease in the districts of Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, SBS Nagar, Fazilka, Faridkot and Mansa, all samples sent again from these areas have been found negative.
Urging pig farmers to restrict the movement of swine from one place to another, the Cabinet Minister said they should strictly prohibit pig traders or businessmen from visiting their farms and prepare swine feed on their own as this disease could only be prevented by adopting precautions.
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-PTC News
