Unidentified disease kills pigs in Burma [Myanmar]

At least 100 pigs have died of an unidentified disease since [26 Apr
2009], said residents in Twante Township in Rangoon [Yangon]
division, raising apprehensions following the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico.

About 25 pigs from piggeries in Thakhundine and Zeephyukone villages
in Rangoon [Yangon] division's Twante Township died since Saturday
[25 Apr 2009], local residents said.

"Before the pigs died, they showed symptoms of poisoning. The bodies
of the animals shook. And about 2 hours later they fell dead," a
local resident of Twante town told Mizzima. "When we took the meat of
the dead pigs the colour was dark and it looked as if it was
dehydrated. And when people ate the meat, they started feeling dizzy.
Some had to contend with loose motion [diarrhea]," he added.

The locals said, with little knowledge about the disease that the
pigs were afflicted with, farm owners buried the pigs in the fields.

After the death of the animals came to the notice of local
authorities, a doctor from the Twante hospital along with several
officials from the health department came for inspection. But they
failed to diagnose the disease that killed the pigs, he added. "The
doctors told us to keep them informed if more pigs died in other
villages," he said.

Piggery owners, who built the piggeries on fish ponds, usually sell
their pigs to restaurants and to butchers.

A local resident of Zeephyukone village told Mizzima that many people
in the village have piggeries and supply local meat shops as well as
restaurants. "I know one owner of a piggery, who had about 50 pigs in
his farm, but since they died one after another only 22 are left. He
did not bury the dead pigs but sold the meat to restaurants," he added.

While the going price of a healthy pig in the market is about Kyat
4500 (USD 3.75) per viss [local weight measurement unit equivalent to
1.63 kg], the meat of dead pigs was sold only at Kyat 1500 (USD 1.25) per viss.

The strange death of pigs in Twante town comes even as the world
anxiously watches the outbreak of swine flu that has already claimed
over 100 lives and caused illness to more than 1000.

Countries across the globe including Japan, China, South Korea,
Thailand, Singapore, and India, have become cautious and are
conducting medical check-ups at international airports.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on [26 Apr 2009], issued a
statement "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" warning
the people of the outbreak of swine flu.

Similarly, Burma's military authorities also issued orders on [27 Apr
2009] to check all entry points to the country such as airports, sea
ports, and border check-points. But locals in the areas said there
has been no implementation of the order.