Sri Vijaya Puram, October 26: The Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services (AH&VS), Andaman & Nicobar Administration, has intensified awareness, counselling, biosecurity and sanitisation activities across the Islands as part of the ongoing efforts to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF). African Swine Fever is a highly contagious viral disease of pigs. It does not infect humans and poses no direct risk to human health. There is no vaccine and no specific treatment. Strict biosecurity, movement control and early reporting remain the most effective means of containing the disease.
Pig farmers have been counselled on farm hygiene, disinfection, restriction of visitors, movement control, early disease reporting and other biosecurity measures. Awareness meetings and camps have been organised at multiple locations. At R. K. Pur, Little Andaman, an awareness meeting was conducted at the Panchayat Hall, which was attended by pig farmers, Pashu Sakhis, SHG members and staff. Representatives from the Health Department and the Keya Foundation NGO were also present. At Hut Bay, an awareness camp was organised at the Range Office, where the nature of the disease, its transmission and preventive measures were explained, with special emphasis on precautions to be taken while dealing with the Andaman Wild Pig. A total of 50 participants, including staff of Hut Bay Range and the AFEVS Unit, attended the camp.
An ASF awareness programme was held at GSSS Bengali, Teressa Island, on October 24. Door-to-door awareness camps were conducted at Diglipur, R. K. Gram and Subashgram. Sanitisation activities were also carried out at R. K. Pur.
At Chota Enaka, an awareness programme was conducted today in the presence of the 1st Captain, with 25 participants. At the Tsunami Shelter, Ongi Tikery, awareness was created among 22 participants, mostly higher secondary students, besides pig farmers of the locality and PRI members. It has been decided to continue the awareness activity there.
Sanitisation of luggage and passengers has been undertaken at several points. Luggage and passengers arriving from MV Nalanda and MV Sentinel were sanitised yesterday. Luggage and passengers arriving from MV Ranichanga were sanitised today. Hand and foot sanitisation was carried out for outgoing passengers at Chowra jetty. Sanitisation was also done for incoming passengers from MV Kalighat today. At Campbell Bay, the luggage of passengers who departed and arrived by helicopter today, and the passengers themselves, were properly sanitised.
Posters on African Swine Fever have been displayed at multiple Panchayat Offices. The Department is continuing these awareness, surveillance and biosecurity measures across the Islands. Pig owners are requested to keep their pigs confined, maintain hygiene, restrict unnecessary visitors, immediately report any unusual illness or death, and strictly comply with the ban on movement of pigs, pork and pork products. There is no cause for panic among the general public as the disease does not affect humans.
