87 pigs die in Mizoram village near Bangladesh border, panic over ASF suspicion

More than 80 pigs died in south Mizoram's Lunglei district over the last two weeks, triggering panic in the area that is near the Bangladesh border, an official said on Sunday.

The 87 deaths, which happened in the Lungsen village, have caused losses to the tune of ₹40 lakh, he said.

"Though the cause of the deaths is yet to be ascertained, it is suspected that the animals died due to African Swine Fever (ASF)," said Lalhmingthanga, the Joint Director of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department.

The first death was reported on March 21, following which veterinary officers were sent to the village to ascertain the cause, he said.

As per the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests on tissue samples and serum samples, the dead pigs were confirmed free of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) and Classical Swine Flu (CSF), he said.

The confirmatory test for ASF is yet to be done at the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Madhya Pradesh, Lalhmingthanga said.