SEREMBAN: The Negeri Sembilan veterinary services department has advised the public, especially wild boar hunters and swine breeders, to quickly report the death of any wild boar or commercially reared pig to the authorities.
Its director, Dr Kamarulrizal Mat Isa, said a positive African swine fever (ASF) case was detected in a dead male wild boar.
The death was reported by a worker at an oil palm plantation at Ladang Sengkang, Pasir Panjang, Port Dickson, on Jan 3.
Kamarulrizal said early notification would enable the department to take immediate action to prevent the spread of the disease in the state as the ASF virus can survive for long periods in tissues of infected animals.
“The bone samples obtained from the decomposed boar were found to be positive for ASF disease.
“ASF infection involving the dead wild boar may still occur as it is difficult to control.
“Efforts to control the spread to commercially reared pigs are being actively carried out.”
Kamarulrizal said the ASF disease infection in Negeri Sembilan was under control as only one death involving wild boars or commercially reared pigs had been reported so far.
“Three ASF cases were reported last year, two involving wild boars in Kuala Pilah and Tampin, and one at an unlicensed farm in Port Dickson.”
He said the public need not worry because ASF is a non-zoonotic disease that affects humans only through direct contact with the infected animal or by consuming pork from ASF-infected pigs.
The department of wildlife and national parks of Peninsular Malaysia (Perhilitan) had imposed a temporary ban on wild boar hunting activities as part of control measures, he added.
Kamarulrizal also reminded swine breeders to be vigilant and improve biosecurity on their farms to prevent the spread of the disease.
More pigs culled in Penang
Meanwhile, 23 pig farms in Penang have been found to be affected by ASF, said chief minister Chow Kon Yeow.
He said as of yesterday, 7,998 pigs from six farms in Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) and Seberang Perai Selatan (SPS) had been culled.
This involved 17 farms in SPS (involving 42,691 pigs), two farms in SPT (2,742 pigs) and four farms in Seberang Perai Utara or SPU (7,842 pigs).
“All the pig carcasses were buried in the SPS area, which is far from public settlements or at undeveloped locations.
“We are also looking for a site in SPU to bury the culled animals.”
He said there are now 124 pig farms in Penang with a total of 267,348 pigs.
“To date, 101 pig farms have not been hit with the ASF disease, with 35 of these farms in SPS (97,104 animals), 60 farms in SPU (100,600 animals), two farms in SPT (5,539 animals) and four farms in the Barat Daya district (10,830 animals),” he said.