THERE is no African swine fever in Sarawak, Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah said today.

“There is no outbreak of African swine fever in Sarawak as reported by Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad,” Uggah said in a statement this evening.

Uggah, who is also the state minister for modernisation of agriculture, said during an October 25 laboratory test using Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (q-PCR), one sample out of 17 canned luncheon meat imported from China tested positive for the DNA of ASF virus.

Therefore, he said there is no ASF infection of pigs in Sarawak.

“The detection of the DNA virus in the luncheon meat does not change Sarawak’s ASF free status,” he said.

Uggah said following the test, Sarawak immediately banned all pork products from ASF infected countries, including China.

He also said most of the tins of the affected luncheon meat under the “168” brand have been removed from shop and store shelves.

“To date the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak has confiscated 220kg of pork products at all entry points brought by travellers.”

Uggah said compounds had been issued for various violations of import-export conditions and the Veterinary Public Health Ordinance 1999.

Sarawak has also banned swill feeding “to stop the practice once and for all”.

The Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak, Uggah said, will continue to enforce the Veterinary Public Health Ordinance to protect the state from ASF.

“All imports require import permits and smugglers will be severely punished,” he said.

In a press conference in Labuan earlier today, Dr Dzulkefly told reporters the outbreak is well under control and his ministry is working closely with the DVSS to address the possible spread of the virus.

He added the ASF virus in Sarawak “has yet to reach an alarming stage, and there is no need for the people to panic”. – November 4, 2019.