MIRI – The African swine flu continues to infect and kill pigs throughout the rural regions of Sarawak with Bario, Baram and Mulu being the latest locations reportedly affected by the viral contagion.
Social activist Willie Kajan, who is also a tour operator plying between Miri and interior destinations, told The Vibes today that rural natives are reporting mass deaths of pigs everywhere.
“The swine flu is killing a big number of farm-reared pigs in longhouses in Bario and Baram as well as wild boars in Mulu National Park.
“Native farmers and hunters have come across rotting carcasses of these wild pigs inside the forests and mountains.
“Residents rearing pigs in longhouses and riverine settlements have also reported that their pigs have died in big numbers.
“It looks like the swine flu has turned into a serious crisis for the rural population who depend on pig meat for their daily diet,” he said.
As such Kajan urged the relevant authorities to find ways to stop the swine flu from spreading further.
His comments come after wild boars infected by the African swine flu are believed to have entered Sarawak from across the Kalimantan border into the remote districts of Kapit and Limbang.
Yesterday, State Disaster Management Committee chairman Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas issued a warning to rural folks in Sarawak to stop hunting or capturing these wild boars.
“The devastating effect of the African swine flu is being seen now in many areas in the state, including in the longhouses.
“Rural folk must stop hunting wild boars (in general), as the boars have been found to have been infected by other wild boars crossing into the state from across the border.
“Infected pigs from across the border could have also spread the swine flu to locally bred pigs here.
“The infections are devastating to the local pig population,” he was quoted as saying in a statement.
Last week, Sarawak’s Agriculture Modernisation and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Stephen Rundi Utom issued a directive to mass cull the animals in affected pig farms in Sibu.
“Mass culling and depopulation of pigs and animals in the farms are being done.
“This is to prevent the disease from spreading to other parts of Sarawak,” he said in a statement.
“The culled animals and all the animal feed will be buried and disposed of,” he said.
Rundi said culling is the only way to stop the spread of the swine flu. – The Vibes, February 21, 2022
