Bengaluru: Panic gripped parts of Chintamani taluk in Chikkaballapur district Thursday after the department of animal husbandry and veterinary services confirmed an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) cases. The National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, confirmed the presence of the virus after testing samples collected from a piggery farm in Hebbari village of the taluk, about 90km from Bengaluru.The affected farm belongs to Venkata Reddy, who was rearing Yorkshire pigs. “The farm owners witnessed sudden pig deaths for nearly a week and reported the matter to us. We visited the site, collected samples, and they tested positive for ASF,” explained Dr Rangappa, deputy director, animal husbandry and veterinary services, Chikkaballapur.Villagers claimed more than 100 pigs have already died, while veterinary officials said 57 pigs at the farm would be culled as part of containment measures on Friday and Saturday. Authorities have also imposed a ban on the transport of pigs and the sale of pork in and around the affected villages. According to officials, the farm was supplying pork to Nagaland via Hosakote. Following confirmation of the outbreak, the district administration declared a high alert in Hebbari and surrounding areas. Veterinary teams sanitised the village and set up a surveillance zone, where door-to-door inspections are on to monitor livestock health.Officials stressed that ASF, while highly contagious among pigs, doesn’t pose a threat to humans. “This disease has a mortality rate of nearly 100% among pigs and spreads through direct contact, contaminated feed, equipment, or even clothing. There is no vaccine or cure available. All pigs within a 1km radius of the infected farm will be culled to prevent further spread,” said a veterinarian overseeing the containment work.
