The carcass of a wild boar infected with African swine fever was found in Marutha, prompting surveillance zones in six nearby panchayats.
District officials said no culling is needed as no pig farms lie within a kilometre of the epicentre.
Transport and sale of pigs and pork have been banned in the area as a precaution to contain the outbreak.
African Swine Fever Detected In Kerala’s Malappuram; Several Panchayats Declared Surveillance Zones
Authorities say the disease affects only pigs and poses no risk to humans; movement and sale of pork restricted in affected areas.
Summary
The district administration said on Friday that several panchayats in this north Kerala district were designated as surveillance zones following the discovery of African swine fever, a highly contagious and fatal disease in pigs, in the decaying carcass of a wild boar.
The sickness won't infect people, it said, and the carcass was discovered at a location known as Marutha.
Within ten km of the epicentre, the gramme panchayats of Vazhikkadavu, Edakkara, Pothukallu, Chungathara, Karulai, and Muthedam were designated as monitoring zones by District Collector V R Vinod.
According to a statement from the district government, there is no need to put any pigs to death because there are no pig farms within a kilometre of the epicentre.
However, it stated that limitations have been placed on the transportation of the animals to and from the surveillance zones, the sale and distribution of pork, and the operation of the stores that sell it.
It stated that the transportation of pigs, pork, and associated goods to and from the surveillance zones was likewise forbidden, as was their sale and distribution.
The district administration advised farmers to notify the concerned veterinary officer if symptoms resembling those of an African swine fever virus infection are seen in pigs in other areas of the district.
It stated that the illness was exclusive to pigs and that neither humans nor other animals could contract it.
At the same time, there is a chance that pigs will die in large numbers because there is no vaccination or other preventive medication.
As a result, precautions are being taken to stop the sickness from spreading to other parts of the district, it stated.
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