THE Negri Sembilan Veterinary Services Department (JPVNS) today confirmed that the African Swine Fever (ASF) was detected at a farm in Kampung Baru Tanah Merah Site A, Port Dickson.

State Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman Bakri Sawir said the disease was detected after samples were taken from two of the 275 pigs at the unlicensed farm, yesterday.

He said JPVNS took proactive steps to seal off the area. Police and JPVNS personnel helped monitor a five-kilometre radius area around the farm to ensure there was no movement of livestock in and out of the area.

“We received information about the disease on Thursday, when JPVNS took samples of two animals and they were found to have severe fever after test results came in yesterday evening.

“We could not get information from the farm owner as to how the animals were infected but according to unconfirmed reports, the origin of the infection was probably Perak, but investigations are still underway,” he said.

He said all the livestock would be disposed of in accordance with prescribed procedures and legal action would be taken against the livestock breeder involved. 

Bakri said earlier, notices were issued to the owners of about 20 farms there, to stop their operations as they were not licensed.

He said farmers in the area should take the 1999 Nipah virus outbreak that caused the death of over 100 pigs, as a lesson.

Consumers are advised to be wary should they come across offers of low prices for the sale of pork in any supermarket or market, he added.

Meanwhile, JPVNS director Dr Redzuan Ibrahim explained that ASF is a disease of animals and does not infect humans.

“ASF is different from the Nipah virus but the disease can spread very quickly and is  harmful to other pig farms. The virus can be transmitted by flies that feed off ASF-infected pigs.

“When the infected pigs are slaughtered, the virus is spread in the meat and blood to other farms,” he said that being a highly contagious disease, the mortality rate was about 70 to 80%.

He said ASF does not infect other types of livestock but could infect wild boars. – Bernama, April 9, 2022.