With over 2,000 pigs dead is six Assam districts in just a few weeks due to a mysterious virus, the state animal husbandry department today said it is suspected that the African swine flu has infected pigs and it has been transmitted from China through Arunachal Pradesh.
On Saturday, pig meat was banned in six districts of Assam after 2,226 pigs died and the affected areas have been declared containment zones.
Agriculture minister Atul Bora said: "We suspect this African swine flu has come from China through Arunachal Pradesh. In Assam, first these cases were reported in Jonai."
He added that this flu might have come through the river.
"We are expecting report from a Bhopal-based laboratory. We have seen that despite giving swine flu injections, there have been deaths. Except in six districts, sale of pig meat will continue in other districts," the minister said.
The Meghalaya government has also banned the import of pigs from the state.
In view of unusual mortality of pigs in the Dhemaji, North Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, and Jorhat districts of Assam and in some districts of Arunachal Pradesh, the transportation of pigs from other states into Meghalaya have been stopped until further orders, government sources said.
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