African swine fever in the Katni district of Madhya Pradesh has led to the death of 85 pigs so far, an official said on Monday. As many as 115 pigs have been infected by the disease, news agency ANI reported.

The authorities in Madhya Pradesh are preparing to slaughter the infected pigs after conducting a survey in the area. The administration will compensate farmers for the culling of the pigs.

The veterinary department has formed four teams and is conducting a survey to identify the infected pigs in the area, ANI quoted RK Singh, deputy director of the department, as saying. The survey is expected to be completed within two days.

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“Two zones have been formed for the prevention of the disease. One is the 'infected zone' which revolves around the radius of one kilometre of the infected spot and the other is the 'surveillance zone' which covers the area in a radius of nine kilometres,” Singh said.

After completion of the survey, the administration will cull the pigs in the infected zones.

The amount of compensation, ranging between Rs 2,200 and Rs 15,000, will be distributed by the administration. The amount will depend on the weight of the pigs. The administration has received the compensation amount from the central government

A team of experts from Jabalpur will arrive after the survey to conduct further proceedings.

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What is African swine fever?

African swine flu is a viral disease, which affects both domestic and wild pigs. The viral outbreak could have 100 percent mortality, India Today reported.

The disease does not affect humans but is easily transmitted from one pig to another through bodily contact and fluid exchange.

Pigs affected by African swine flu show symptoms like high fever, decreased appetite and weakness, skin lesions, vomiting and diarrhoea, and difficulty in breathing and coughing.

First Published:Nov 8, 2022 2:06 PM IST