May 11, 2009

All the seven divisions of Maharashtra submitted reports of physical surveillance of pigs and all have ruled out the prevalence of AH1N1 flu among pig population, according to the animal husbandry department on Wednesday (May 6).

However, the commissionerate of the state animal husbandry department has said that the surveillance work will go on uninterrupted till further orders from the Central government.

Earlier on Tuesday (May 5), the disease investigation section of the department sent two sets of tissue and serum samples to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Izatnagar in Uttar Pradesh, and the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) in Bhopal.

D S Zagade, commissioner of the state animal husbandry department said samples were collected from suspected ailing pigs from Jalna and Jalgaon districts. The department has also sent two serum samples from Jalgaon to the IVRI on April 29.

A massive surveillance of areas having a sizeable population of pigs was initiated in the state a few days back.

Zagade also said the surveillance covered only suspected ailing pigs.

Vasant Ramteke, additional commissioner of the state animal husbandry department said that there is no possibility of finding AH1N1 virus in the state, adding that these were just precautionary measures.