Penang Declares African Swine Fever Outbreak State Disaster

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Penang has declared the African swine fever (ASF) in the state a disaster situation after cases were detected at five more pig farms.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (above) said as of today, a total of seven commercial pig farms, five each in Seberang Perai Selatan and two in Seberang Perai Tengah, had been infected and that the 25,000 pigs in all the farms will be culled in stages.
“The outbreak was confirmed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests conducted between Jan 4 and 12 on pig samples from the farms,” he told a press conference after holding a meeting with Penang Veterinary Services Department (DVS) and pig farmers at Perkampungan Valdor in Nibong Tebal today.
To control and prevent the spread of ASF, Chow said the Penang DVS had implemented a stamping out policy to cull pigs in farms that have ASF cases with the carcasses disposed by burial on site or special areas provided by the state government.
"The culling is done with CO2 gas and according to the Animal Welfare Code of Practice and Animal Disposal Management guidelines before the pigs are buried,” he said.
To date, Chow said 929 pigs from the farm first affected by ASF had been culled and the culling exercise may take weeks to complete.
“The state government will provide an area of land near roads or highways in the state to bury the carcasses due to land constraints in pig farms and I urge the public not to panic with the situation, after all, ASF does not infect humans, " he said.
He said the authorities will monitor and continue to take samples from pig farms within a 5km radius of the farms with positive cases.
“Roadblocks have been mounted in roads leading to Perkampungan Valdor since Jan 10,” he said.
Chow also urged pig farmers as well as the public to report any death relating to wild boars, village pigs or commercial pigs to the Penang DSV via the Disease Crisis Management Room hotline at 04-5041047.
- Bernama

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