The Municipal Corporation of Delhiu00a0(MCD) has suddenly become extra-cautious about the well-being of pigs in the city, courtesy swine flu.

The MCD's veterinary inspectors are visiting localities where hogs are bred and asking owners if their animals have caught a cold, have fever or are sneezing.

The worldwide outbreak of the influenza has set alarm bells ringingu00a0 for the civic authority which is working overtime to locate the breeding centres of the animal and then make sure that they are in the pink of their health.

However, so far, the officials have not found any positive case.

"We have issued instructions to all the zonal heads of the veterinary department to keep a strict vigil in their areas where pigs are being bred by residents.

But, so far no case of any infected or ill pig have come to our notice," said a senior Veterinary Health Services Department official.

He assured that all care is being taken to prevent any outbreak of the swine flu.

"The World Health Organisation has made it clear that the flu does not occur due to pigs and is not communicated through pigs. However, taking no chances, we are monitoring the areas where the animal is being bred," the official said.
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Though pigs are not reared in major parts of the city, MCD officials said there are certain pockets where people are breeding them. Mainly, Jahangirpuri, Seelampur, Okhla and in some outer Delhi pockets residents rear pigs.
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The civic body is yet to figure out the total number of pigs being reared in the city. "It would be a few thousands. May be one thousand," the official added.