Resurgence of African Swine Fever in Mizoram: Death of 174 pigs in 3 months

Aizawl: Deaths of at least 174 pigs and piglets have been reported due to the resurgence of the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in Mizoram this year, with two localities of the capital, Aizawl City, being declared infestation areas, state animal husbandry and veterinary department officials said.

Some of the district veterinary officers have issued prohibitions on the import and export of pigs as well as warnings due to the outbreak of the dreaded porcine disease.

A meeting chaired by state AH and Veterinary Minister C. Lalsawivunga on Wednesday deliberated on how to contain the ASF outbreak. It was reported that the ASF outbreak hit the state for the first time in 2021 and has recurred every year since then.

Department officials said that the resurgence of the ASF outbreak always occurs when the climate begins to warm up and pre-monsoon rains commence in the state.

At least 47,269 pigs and piglets have died during 2021–2023 in Mizoram due to the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak, while at least 25,182 pigs have been culled during the same period. The amount of losses incurred due to the ASF outbreak in the state has been estimated to be over Rs. 132.20 crore, affecting 19,017 families.

Officials said that the ASF infection was first detected on March 21, 2021, at the Mizoram-Bangladesh border in Lungsen village in south Mizoram’s Lunglei district and spread like wildfire to other parts of the state.

While state animal husbandry and veterinary department officials declared that the outbreak was contained in December 2021, the recurrence of the infestation began in early 2022 and continued until 2023.

This year’s resurgence began in early April in some pockets, and some areas in a few districts have been declared infested.

The officials said that though the ASF outbreak has reoccurred every year since 2021, the number of swine deaths has decreased considerably every year, and experts expect that it will further dwindle in the years to come.

However, the state government’s plans, as well as efforts made by private players to attain self-sufficiency in pork, have been dashed to the ground due to the repeated outbreaks.