Swine diarrhea outbreak kills pigs in Taungup Twsp

By Admin 26 Aug 2026

DMG Newsroom

26 August 2026, Taungup

Swine diarrhea is spreading among pigs in Taungup Township, Arakan State, with deaths reported among small-scale livestock farms, according to local farmers.

Hundreds of pigs in Kaingshae, Welgyi, Wetkyaik, Ywathit, Hmohindaw and Aung Thukha villages, as well as Theintaung Ward, have been affected by the rapidly spreading disease.

"Swine diarrhea has become widespread recently across many villages in Taungup Township. We are terrified that the illness will worsen and kill the pigs. Although we operate on a small scale, this outbreak is creating severe hardships," said a local woman in Taungup Township.

Infected pigs show symptoms including loss of appetite and severe diarrhea. A pig suffering from the illness recently died in Theintaung Ward.

If left untreated, swine diarrhea can be fatal. Small-scale pig farmers are facing financial difficulties as they pay high veterinary costs to save their livestock.

"Pigs are contracting diarrhea, and they will die if not injected with treatment. Because they refuse to eat, injections are mandatory. Administering medicine costs at least K30,000 per pig. Those owning three or four pigs have to spend around K200,000. However, we have to afford the injections because we cannot risk losing the animals," another local female farmer said.

As infection rates rise across Taungup Township, pig breeders fear that declining pork consumption could drive market prices down.

Locals emphasized the need for vaccination campaigns to contain the outbreak and called for restrictions on the sale of meat from pigs that died of the disease.

In early July 2026, mass pig deaths caused by swine disease were also recorded across several townships in Arakan State.

The highest number of deaths during that period occurred in the Tawphyarchaung area of Ponnagyun Township, where infected pigs showed symptoms including skin reddening, enlarged spleens and lung damage.

According to health departments, swine diarrhea is caused by Porcine Circovirus, a highly contagious pathogen associated with high mortality rates during the early stages of infection.