KOTA KINABALU – The Sabah Veterinary Services Department (DVS) has linked the scores of recent pig deaths in Pitas district to a possible outbreak of the deadly African swine fever (ASF).
However, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan said further tests will still have to be carried out to confirm it. Agriculture and Fisheries Minister
“Initial tests showed that eight of the 13 samples collected from the pigs in Pitas showed positive results for ASF.
“Currently, the Putrajaya DVS is conducting confirmatory tests for this disease via DNA sequencing and we should be able to get the results in a day or two,” he said in a statement here today.
Kitingan said he was told by DVS director Dr Peter Lee that Sabah DVS officers and staff are already on ground following a report about a possible outbreak two weeks ago to curb the spread of the disease.
The viral disease has torn through Asia since it emerged in China in 2018, with at least 100 million pigs already dead by ASF or culled to corral the disease.
ASF is witheringly fatal to pigs but harmless to humans.
Kitingan reiterated that traces of the disease have only been found among domestic pigs in Pitas and not in wild bearded pigs, which have been turning up dead on Sabah’s east coast since December.
“We are fortunate that Pitas is not a pig-producing district. It is home to only a few hundred kampung pigs plus the wild boars roaming the estates and jungle.
The nearest town with a pig population is Kota Marudu, about 50km away, and Kudat, which is 140km away.
“Sabah’s main pig-producing areas are Tamparuli, Tuaran, and Papar on the west coast, and Sandakan and Tawau on the east coast.
“All the pork sold in the market is approved for human consumption, slaughtered in a licensed slaughterhouse authorised by DVS and inspected before sale. The department also carries out tests from time to time for quality monitoring and disease surveillance,” he said.
In the meantime, Kitingan advised pig industry players to step up their farms’ biosecurity.
This includes prohibiting outsiders from entering farm premises, disinfecting incoming vehicles, and changing attire when entering farms. – The Vibes, February 20, 2021
