ASF apprehension looms large
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 10 2025: Even as apprehension runs heavy that African Swine Fever (ASF) has landed in Manipur, experts from the Central Agriculture University (CAU) Imphal virtually interacted with pig farmers from across the State today.

Interacting with the farmers, COA's Head of Department of Animal Science, Professor Dr Y Damodar said some places in Manipur have reported a disease in pigs in the recent days.

While the symptoms of the disease are consistent with that of the African Swine Fever (ASF), it can be confirmed only after testing, he said.

The State's Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department has collected samples and sent them for testing in laboratories in Guwahati.

The disease will be confirmed after the results arrive, Damodar said.

He said the awareness programme was organised to educate fanners on African Swine Fever (ASF) and other swine diseases.

The programme was held virtually to avoid contact between farmers and check any possible spread or outbreak of diseases such as ASF, Damodar said.

ASF outbreak was reported in Manipur in October 2023 .

The ASF is highly contagious and deadly in pigs.

It is important for farmers to take proper precautionary measures to check the outbreak, Damodar said.

Interacting with the farmers, Dr M Norjit stressed on the importance of adopting biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of diseases.

The African Swine Fever (ASF) is caused by the African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) .

The transmission of the virus occurs through direct contact with infected animals or indirect contact with contaminated materials like blood, meat, and food products.

The virus can remain viable in contaminated objects such as clothing, footwear and vehicles.

Dr Norjit said the ASFV can survive for a very long time, upto 2 years at -20 ° C .

There are reports of meat shops preserving frozen meat of diseased pigs in deep freezers to be sold when the outbreak is over.

This practice is dangerous as the virus can survive upto 2 years at -20 ° C .

It may cause another outbreak, Dr Norjit said.

In fresh meat (at 4 ° C), the ASFV can survive for several months.

In salted and dried meat, it can survive up to 120 days.

In frozen carcasses (-20 ° C), it can survive up to 2 years.

In deep-frozen meat (at -70 ° C), the virus can survive for several years.

CAU Imphal's Director of Research Dr LM Gamayak and other officials and faculty members of the university attended the "Awareness cum discussion programme on prevailing pig disease outbreak in Manipur" .

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