KUCHING, Dec 12: Pork available on the market is safe to eat despite an isolated case of African Swine Fever (ASF) detected in pigs in Mongkos, Tebedu District on Nov 29, 2024. Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom assured this but emphasised that the movement of live pigs is prohibited without a transfer permit from the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak (DVSS).
“The DVSS has taken control measures on the affected pigs and farms to prevent the disease from spreading to nearby pig farms. Other districts in Sarawak remain free from ASF,” he said in a statement today. ASF virus only infects pigs and not humans. It does not affect other livestock because it is host-specific and not zoonotic.
Dr Rundi urged all pig farmers to improve farm biosecurity by ensuring their farms have facilities such as vehicle dips or foot dips and a solid perimeter fences.“Farmers should also control the movement of livestock, vehicles, and individuals in and out of the farm. “ASF is a pig disease that has no vaccine or cure and can cause significant losses. Therefore, farmers should pay attention and adhere to the stated control measures,” he reminded.
Pig farmers are also reminded not to feed kitchen waste or scraps to pigs without cooking it for 30 minutes to prevent the virus, and should avoid introducing new animals with unknown health status. The clinical signs of ASF include high mortality in pigs, high fever, difficulty breathing, redness or bruising on the skin, loss of appetite, depression, vomiting, diarrhea, swollen joints, skin ulcers, and runny nose.
“If farmers observe any of these signs, immediately contact the nearest Veterinary Services Office,” he said. Regarding the viral video on the Internet, Dr Rundi clarified that it is an old video that had occurred abroad and not in Sarawak. This video has been recirculated. He also gave assurance of sufficient supply of pork for the Christmas celebration, which can be found at any pork product shop throughout Sarawak. — DayakDaily
