Coimbatore, Oct 17: The Tamil Nadu government has taken precautionary steps to control the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) after the disease was confirmed in wild boars at the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.Officials said that samples collected from carcasses of wild boars tested positive for the virus. Following this, the veterinary department has started spraying disinfectants on vehicles entering the Nilgiris district from Kerala, especially at the Gudalur border checkpoint.
Authorities have also banned the transport of pork from Kerala and directed piggery farms to follow strict biosecurity measures. Farmers have been asked to report any unusual deaths of pigs immediately.
Teams from the Animal Husbandry Department are conducting inspections to ensure the preventive guidelines are followed.
Officials clarified that African Swine Fever does not affect humans, but is highly contagious among pigs and can cause heavy losses to farmers.
The Mudumalai area had witnessed a similar outbreak last year, which later came under control.
