India May Seal Burma Border over Pig Disease Fears

28 June 2013

India’s central government is considering taking further measures to prevent the spread of a disease affecting pigs after several cases of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) were detected in northeastern states bordering Burma, according to a report by The Times of India. The state of Manipur has already imposed a ban on pig imports from Burma, but New Delhi now feels that paramilitary forces should be deployed to completely seal the state’s 404-km-long international border, the report said. “Myanmar was the only country having PRRS till some swine in India’s northeast were found to be infected with the dreaded disease,” said Dr LB Sailo, director of the Mizoram animal husbandry and veterinary department.