African Swine Fever hits Kerala's Kottayam, pig meat sales banned in affected areas

African Swine Fever has been confirmed in Kottayam's Koottickal and Vazhoor panchayats, prompting a ban on pig meat sale and consumption.

Kottayam: In Kottayam district, African Swine Fever (ASF) has been confirmed in pig farms in Koottickal and Vazhoor grama panchayats. The confirmation on Friday prompted the district administration to declare regions within a 1 km radius of these farms as "affected areas" and regions within a 10 km radius as "areas under surveillance", which includes several panchayats in the district.

Following the development, the health department has banned the sale, distribution, and consumption of pig meat from the affected regions. Additionally, pigs in the affected farms and those within a 1 km radius will be culled as per central government guidelines.

The health department has reassured that ASF does not affect humans.