NEW DELHI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The fear of African Swine Fever has gripped the Dibrugarh district of India's north-eastern state Assam, after 21 pigs died of the disease during the last month, confirmed a veterinary doctor to Xinhua over phone on Sunday.
"After 21 pigs had died last month, a few samples were sent for medical examination at a lab and the disease was confirmed. All the pigs that had died last month belonged to the same poultry farm located in a village. We alerted all areas in the immediate vicinity, and called for culling of the pigs suffering from the disease," said Dibrugarh Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Officer Dr. Himandu Bikash Barua.
Quoting experts, media reports said that the African Swine Fever does not infect, or spread to humans even though it is deadly and highly contagious for pigs.
Since the disease is highly communicable and has no vaccine, the state government has urged local residents to avoid eating pork, said a media report. ■