Kerala culls 310 pigs to contain African Swine Fever outbreak
The Centre on Sunday said around 310 pigs have been culled in Kerala's Thrissur district after an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF).
The outbreak was detected in Madakkatharan Panchayath, prompting swift action from the state's Animal Husbandry Department.
Rapid Response Teams were deployed to cull and dispose of pigs within a 1 km radius of the epicentre on July 5, the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said in a statement.
This marks the latest incident in the country's ongoing battle with ASF, which first appeared in the northeastern states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in May 2020. Since then, the disease has spread to approximately 24 states and union territories across the country.
'Further surveillance as per the action plan is to be carried out within a 10 km radius of the epicentre,' the ministry said.
Despite the outbreak's severity, the government was quick to reassure the public.
'ASF is not zoonotic. It cannot spread to humans,' the ministry clarified.
However, the lack of a vaccine for ASF underscores the challenges in managing animal diseases, it added.
The National Action Plan for Control of ASF, formulated in 2020, outlines containment strategies and response protocols for outbreaks.
Even as the country faces a new outbreak of ASF in Kerala, the central government marked World Zoonoses Day on July 6 with an interactive session.
The day -- commemorating Louis Pasteur's first successful rabies vaccine on July 6, 1885 -- serves as a stark reminder of the thin line between animal and human health.
Zoonoses diseases that can jump from animals to humans include familiar threats like rabies and influenza, as well as more recent concerns like COVID-19.
However, the ministry emphasised that not all animal diseases pose a threat to human health.
'It's crucial to distinguish between zoonotic and non-zoonotic diseases,' the ministry said, and added that 'many livestock diseases, like Foot & Mouth Disease or Lumpy Skin Disease, cannot infect humans'.
This distinction is particularly relevant for India, home to 11 per cent of the global livestock population and 18 per cent of the world's poultry. The country's animal health strategies have significant implications for its status as the world's largest milk producer and second-largest egg producer.
India's approach to zoonotic diseases is evolving. The government has launched nationwide vaccination campaigns for brucellosis in bovine calves and rabies.
Additionally, a National Joint Outbreak Response Team (NJORT) has been established under the One Health approach, bringing together experts from various ministries and research institutions, the statement said.
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Rupee falls 32 paise to all-time low of 95.20 against US dollar
Mumbai, Apr 30 (PTI): The rupee depreciated 32 paise to an all-time low of 95.20 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday, weighed down by elevated Brent crude oil prices, hovering around USD 122 per barrel, and strong American currency.
Forex traders said the USD/INR pair may see further downside, as rising crude oil prices are likely to sharply impact India's import costs, while concerns over potential wider conflict in West Asia are fuelling investor anxiety.
Meanwhile, the US dollar added to gains after the US FED Reserve kept rates unchanged. Safe-haven demand was also boosted by another diplomatic setback between Washington and Tehran.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 95.01 against the US dollar, then lost some ground and touched an all-time low of 95.20 against the US dollar in initial trade, registering a fall of 32 paise over its previous close.
On Wednesday, the rupee depreciated 20 paise to close at an all-time low of 94.88 against the US dollar.
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"The main effect on the rupee has been from the rising oil prices, which touched USD 120 per barrel and looked headed for further upside as the US continues with its blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran does not allow any ship/tanker to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.01 per cent higher at 98.96.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 3.16 per cent at USD 121.76 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, Sensex tumbled 821.79 points to 76,674.57 in early trade, while the Nifty dived 287.3 points to 23,890.35.
Foreign Institutional Investors offloaded equities worth Rs 2,468.42 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue with their sale of Indian Equities and debt (the yield touched 7 per cent on Wednesday) and are also dollar buyers consistently," Bhansali added.
