KUCHING: The State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory here confirmed that the African Swine Fever (ASF) has been detected in three backyard farms in Durin, Sibu Division.
“These cases were confirmed today by the State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory using the Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (rT-PCR) tests,” said Minister for Modernisation of Agriculture and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom in his press statement on Monday (Jan 10).
“African Swine Fever or ASF is a highly virulent and contagious viral disease affecting only pigs. The disease could lead to serious economic losses to our local farmers and also impact on the food security. The virus
is not harmful to humans and it is not a zoonotic disease,” he said.
Rundi also disclosed that the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak (DVSS) had already mobilised its personnel on the ground to determine the extent of the outbreak and had taken all the necessary actions to contain the disease and from it spreading further to other pig farms.
“Surveillances, both clinical and serological, are being conducted and specimens taken for laboratory diagnoses.
“Importation of pork and pork products are already banned from African
Swine Fever infected countries including West Malaysia and Sabah,” he added.
Rundi said DVS Sarawak would continue to conduct checks at airports, seaports and in the shops to make sure pork and pork products brought in illegally were not sold to the public.
“The Regulatory Division of DVSS will continue to enforce the Veterinary Public Health Ordinance 1999 to ensure pork and pork products imported are from countries free from ASF.
“All imports must require import permits and smugglers will be severely dealt with the law,” he said.
“My ministry and the Department of Veterinary Services have had several engagements with the pig farmers for them to step up their farm biosecurity including preventing outsiders from visiting their farms.
“We have also advised our pig farmers not to feed their pigs with leftovers from the restaurants or kitchens as the ASF virus in contaminated pork products can survive the cooking process and being highly resistant, can cause ASF infection in the pigs,” he said.
Rundi added that currently, there were no treatments or vaccines available to treat or control ASF and any farm infected with ASF would be sealed, quarantined and all the pigs inside the farm would be culled, the farm depopulated and the carcasses disposed by burial on site.
“ASF is a disease of great economic importance for the state and every attempt must be made to contain the disease and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the state.
“I wish to seek the cooperation from all the stakeholders, especially our local pig farmers, to step up vigilance and their farm biosecurity measures to prevent ASF infecting their pig herds,” he said.
He also urged the public to contact the nearest Department of Veterinary Services office or WhatsApp to Regulatory hotline at 016-284 0918 if they had any further inquiry.
