January 6, 2025

No ASF-related pig deaths in Mizoram, India, since January 1

State animal husbandry and veterinary officials said on January 5 no pig casualty due to African swine fever (ASF) outbreak has been reported from anywhere in Mizoram, India, during the past five days since January 1 and no pig has so far been culled during the same period.

The officials said the state has been free from pig casualty as well as culling of sick pigs since the later part of December for over a week most likely due to winter.

Pig casualties in 2024 was 14,950 while 24,117 pigs were culled in the year. A total of 1,11,434 pigs have died or have been culled since March 21, 2021 when the first ASF case was confirmed at Lungsen village in Mizoram's Lunglei district bordering Bangladesh.

During the past four years 62,761 pigs died due to ASF infections while 49,267 were culled.

The disease remains in the state since 2021 only to recur every year, veterinary officials said.

According to records maintained by the state veterinary department, at least 33,417 pigs died due to ASF infections and 12,568 pigs were killed during 2021, the first year of the outbreak while 12,791 died during 2022 and 11,594 pigs were culled during the same year to prevent further spread of the ASF.

Last year witnessed a lower ASF toll when 1,039 pigs died and 928 were culled.

- The Times of India