Several cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) have been confirmed in Ajnala, Punjab, officials said on Thursday.
Assistant Deputy Director (Animal Husbandry) Ravinder Singh Kang clarified that ASF is a viral disease affecting only swine and not humans or other animals. “It is not flu. It is African Swine Fever, and it infects swine only. Some swine died at a farm, tests confirmed positive cases. To prevent further spread, infected swine are being culled and farms are being sanitised,” he told ANI.
According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), ASF is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, with a mortality rate reaching up to 100%. While not a threat to human health, it poses severe risks to pig populations and can cause heavy economic losses to farmers.
Alongside ASF containment, the Punjab Government has also launched large-scale fogging operations in Ajnala and other flood-affected areas to combat dengue, malaria, and other vector-borne diseases that have risen following heavy monsoon floods.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced he would chair a review meeting on Friday to assess the state’s flood situation, with discussions focusing on medical aid, compensation for affected families, and long-term flood management strategies.
Meanwhile, a medical relief team from AIIMS, New Delhi, conducted a four-day mission from September 6–9, reaching remote, waterlogged villages in several districts. Thousands of residents received urgent healthcare services during the operation.