Aizawl, June 29(UNI) Mizoram’s ongoing battle with African Swine Fever (ASF) has taken a grim turn, with the death toll among pigs surpassing 5,000 this year, officials from the state’s Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Department confirmed on Sunday.

According to department data, the total pig casualty linked to the current ASF outbreak now stands at 5,044. On Sunday alone 17 pigs succumbed to the virus across five locations in Siaha district, which has emerged as one of the hardest-hit areas.

Authorities have officially declared 73 localities and villages across four districts- Siaha, Lawngtlai, Lunglei and Mamit-as ASF-infected zones. The disease has shown distinct geographic patterns in its spread: while Lunglei and Mamit have reported infections mainly in urban areas, the virus has reached rural communities in Siaha and Lawngtlai districts.

Siaha, situated in southern Mizoram, shares a porous international border with Myanmar, and Lawngtlai district is flanked by both Myanmar and Bangladesh. Lunglei is bordered by other Mizoram districts, while Mamit touches the borders of Bangladesh and Tripura- raising concerns about transboundary transmission.

Although no culling operations were carried out on Sunday, the cumulative number of pigs culled as a containment measure has climbed to 1,631. The authorities have been carrying out strategic culling in high-risk zones to limit the spread of the highly contagious viral disease, which has no known cure or vaccine.

Officials continue to urge pig farmers to follow stringent biosecurity measures and report any signs of illness in their livestock. With new localities being affected each week, veterinary teams remain on high alert to prevent further escalation.



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