Possible Plague: Mass Death of Pigs in Akhori Village

On January 27, residents of Akhori village in the Lori region contacted SHAMSHYAN.com to report a mass die-off of pigs in the village.

In an interview with the news outlet, resident Karen Avetisyan mentioned that he owns about 150 pigs and, noticing that they were falling ill, has been keeping them in three different locations to monitor their health.

“Of the 60 pigs kept in one area, 20 have already died. In another area, 10 or more of the 45 pigs have fallen ill, and several from the third group have also shown signs of illness. The veterinarian came, examined them, and performed vaccinations, but the deaths continue,” the resident stated, adding that most of the deceased animals are sows and piglets.

Another local resident, Georgy Avetisyan, reported that six of his sows have died, leaving one sick pig among the remaining seven. Other villagers have also noted illnesses among their pigs, with deaths following close behind. According to the villagers, this so-called epidemic has been affecting the area for over a month, and some have concealed the situation, slaughtering and selling the sick pigs.

In a conversation with the correspondent, the local veterinarian, Vachagan Kirakosyan, acknowledged being aware of the situation but mentioned that due to it being a non-working day, he was unable to send samples from the deceased animals to a laboratory to determine the cause of the pig deaths. He stated that as soon as the first working day arrives, he will collect samples and send them for analysis.

The veterinarian expressed suspicion that the deaths among Karen Avetisyan’s pigs could be the result of poisoning. However, Avetisyan also recounted a similar infection in the village back in 2013 and indicated that it is possible this could be a plague disease, noting that he plans to reach out to the relevant authorities.