New Delhi: The Center on Sunday said around 310 pigs had been culled in Kerala's Thrissur district after an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF).
The outbreak was detected in Madakkatharan Panchayath, prompting quick action by the state Animal Husbandry Department.
Rapid response teams were deployed to cull and dispose of pigs within a 1 km radius of the epicenter on July 5, the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said in a statement.
This marks the latest incident in the country's ongoing battle against African swine fever, which first appeared in the northeastern states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in May 2020. The disease has since spread to approximately 24 states and union territories across the country.
"According to the action plan, increased surveillance will be carried out within a 10-kilometer radius of the epicenter," the ministry said.
Despite the severity of the outbreak, the government was quick to reassure the public.
"African swine fever is not zoonotic. It cannot be transmitted to humans," the ministry clarified.
However, the lack of a vaccine against African swine fever highlights the challenges of animal disease management, he added.
The National Action Plan for ASF Control, formulated in 2020, outlines containment strategies and outbreak response protocols.
Even as the country faces a fresh outbreak of African swine fever in Kerala, the central government celebrated World Zoonoses Day on July 6 with an interactive session.
The day, which commemorates Louis Pasteur's first successful rabies vaccine on July 6, 1885, serves as a stark reminder of the fine line between animal and human health.
Zoonotic diseases that can jump from animals to humans include familiar threats like rabies and influenza, as well as more recent concerns like COVID-19.
However, the ministry emphasized that not all animal diseases pose a threat to human health.
"It is crucial to distinguish between zoonotic and non-zoonotic diseases," the ministry said, adding that "many livestock diseases, such as foot and mouth disease or lumpy skin, cannot infect humans."
This distinction is particularly relevant for India, home to 11 percent of the world's livestock population and 18 percent of the world's poultry. The country's animal health strategies have important implications for its status as the world's largest milk producer and second largest egg producer.
India's approach to zoonotic diseases is evolving. The government has launched nationwide vaccination campaigns against brucellosis in bovine calves and rabies.
Additionally, a National Joint Outbreak Response Team (NJORT) has been established under the One Health approach, bringing together experts from various ministries and research institutions, according to the statement.
The outbreak was detected in Madakkatharan Panchayath, prompting quick action by the state Animal Husbandry Department.
Rapid response teams were deployed to cull and dispose of pigs within a 1 km radius of the epicenter on July 5, the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said in a statement.
This marks the latest incident in the country's ongoing battle against African swine fever, which first appeared in the northeastern states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in May 2020. The disease has since spread to approximately 24 states and union territories across the country.
"According to the action plan, increased surveillance will be carried out within a 10-kilometer radius of the epicenter," the ministry said.
Despite the severity of the outbreak, the government was quick to reassure the public.
"African swine fever is not zoonotic. It cannot be transmitted to humans," the ministry clarified.
However, the lack of a vaccine against African swine fever highlights the challenges of animal disease management, he added.
The National Action Plan for ASF Control, formulated in 2020, outlines containment strategies and outbreak response protocols.
Even as the country faces a fresh outbreak of African swine fever in Kerala, the central government celebrated World Zoonoses Day on July 6 with an interactive session.
The day, which commemorates Louis Pasteur's first successful rabies vaccine on July 6, 1885, serves as a stark reminder of the fine line between animal and human health.
Zoonotic diseases that can jump from animals to humans include familiar threats like rabies and influenza, as well as more recent concerns like COVID-19.
However, the ministry emphasized that not all animal diseases pose a threat to human health.
"It is crucial to distinguish between zoonotic and non-zoonotic diseases," the ministry said, adding that "many livestock diseases, such as foot and mouth disease or lumpy skin, cannot infect humans."
This distinction is particularly relevant for India, home to 11 percent of the world's livestock population and 18 percent of the world's poultry. The country's animal health strategies have important implications for its status as the world's largest milk producer and second largest egg producer.
India's approach to zoonotic diseases is evolving. The government has launched nationwide vaccination campaigns against brucellosis in bovine calves and rabies.
Additionally, a National Joint Outbreak Response Team (NJORT) has been established under the One Health approach, bringing together experts from various ministries and research institutions, according to the statement.
