(MENAFN- IANS) Colombo, Oct 8 (IANS) Sri Lanka's Department of Animal Production and Health has issued an extraordinary gazette notification outlining measures to prevent the spread of African swine fever (ASF), a senior health officer told local media on Wednesday.

Hemali Abeyrathna Kothalawala, director general of the Department of Animal Production and Health, said all districts in Sri Lanka have been declared ASF risk areas and pigs designated as disease risk animals.

She said the gazette notification would take effect on October 3, 2025, and remain valid for a period not exceeding three months from the date of implementation, unless revoked earlier or extended.

Under the guidelines, several activities are regulated. Among them are slaughtering pigs for meat without a transport permit; the sale, display, storage, supply, distribution, or further processing of pigs, pork, pork products, or infected materials without a permit; and slaughtering, storing, or processing in any slaughterhouse, storage facility, or meat processing centre that is not approved by an authorised officer.

Sri Lanka was hit by deadly African swine fever for the first time in 2024, Xinhua news agency reported.

Swine fever, or hog cholera, is a viral disease of pigs caused by specific viruses: Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV) and African Swine Fever Virus (Asfivirus). These viruses cause severe illness in pigs and can spread through direct contact with infected animals, their bodily fluids, contaminated feed, and sometimes by ticks.

Swine flu is caused by influenza A (H1N1) viruses that originated in pigs but have adapted to spread from person to person. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing, or by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the face. While it is named for its origin, it is now primarily a human-to-human transmission illness, not contracted from eating pork products.

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