Feb 12, Kathmandu - The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has urged farmers to be on high alert as there is currently a risk of African swine fever in pigs/wild boars.

As there is no vaccine available against the disease yet, the ministry has urged farmers to adopt biosecurity in pig/wild boar farms and to immediately inform the animal service centers or relevant bodies at the federal, provincial and local levels if a pig or wild boar dies unnaturally.

Since domesticated pigs, wild boars and wild boars are susceptible to African swine fever due to the virus, these animals show symptoms such as high fever (104 to 107 degrees), reddening of the ears, tail, and lower abdomen.

The animals have blue spots on their bodies, do not eat, vomit, and drool. Although this leads to high animal mortality, it is not transmitted from animals to humans, said Dr. Sanjeev Pandit of the Agriculture, Information and Training Center under the ministry.

According to him, the center has issued a message to farmers to take necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the infection. He urged everyone to take high precautions as there is a risk of infection spreading easily during the transportation of meat products from one place to another if they come into contact with pigs, boars and their offspring or other animals with such symptoms.

The center has stated that the first case of African swine fever was detected in Nepal three years ago. It is said that the infection has spread to more than ten thousand pigs and boars in the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas.