ASF outbreak detected in three districts in Sabah

22 Oct 2021

By Wartawan Nabalu News

KOTA KINABALU: Another African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak has occurred in Papar district after the virus was detected in two villages in Kampung Kogopon and Kampung Purak.

More than 90 pigs in the two villages were found dead over a two-week period after the virus was detected on 14 September, which resulted an estimated of RM50,000 loss.

“So far, the virus has only affected backyard pigs and not commercial pigs in the district’s four main commercial pig farms. The commercial pig farms house approximately 9,400 heads,” said Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan in a statement here, today.

Besides Papar, Kota Kinabalu and Tenom districts were also hit by ASF outbreak on September 30 and on 13 October that also affected backyard pigs.

However, the ministry is not considering culling all the pigs in these districts yet because the cases are isolated and pigs in commercial pig farms are ASF-free after several tests.

In effort to curb the spread of the virus, measures such as controlling pigs movement and pork products between districts will be conducted, intensify awareness campaigns in villages and relevant locations, and monitor activities in farms as well as abattoirs in all affected districts.

Earlier this year, similar disease control measures were implemented in 19 other districts, and the efforts paid off when seven of these districts were reclassified from ‘red zones’ to ‘yellow zones’ after no new ASF cases were reported in the last 60 days.