18 May 2026 – Residents in several villages in Mindat township, Chin State, were increasingly concerned after domestic animals, including pigs and dogs, died unexpectedly in recent days.
According to local sources, the animals showed no clear signs of illness before their deaths, making it difficult for residents to identify the cause or determine whether an infectious disease is spreading in the area.
Villagers said they do not know how to prevent or treat the illness because its cause has not yet been identified.
Initial reports quoted a local resident as saying, “People raised these animals with great difficulty during these hard times. We do not know what disease caused the deaths, how to treat it, or what symptoms appeared before the animals died.”
The sudden deaths have become a major concern for local communities as livestock prices and the cost of basic commodities continue to rise. Many families invested significant resources in raising the animals despite ongoing economic hardship.
A resident from Mindat said a piglet currently costs around 250,000 kyats, adding that families are struggling to cope with the unexpected losses.
In many parts of Chin State, livestock farming remains one of the main sources of household income and food security.
As neither local community leading members nor residents have confirmed the cause of the deaths, concerns are growing that the illness could spread to other animals in the area. – Reporting by Ben
