
African swine fever hits Penang pig farms, 50 deaths confirmed
Its director, Dr Saira Banu Mohamed Rejab, said that two of the three affected farms exhibited a high mortality rate among the livestock, raising concerns about the possible spread of the disease to neighbouring farms.
'Our team has been on the ground at the pig farms in Kampung Selamat since yesterday to conduct checks, as well as implement control and close monitoring measures to ensure the ASF outbreak can be contained swiftly and effectively.
'So far, two of the farms have reported the deaths of 50 pigs, with many more showing ASF symptoms. There are 63 pig farms involving approximately 120,000 pigs in the Kampung Selamat area,' she said in a statement today.
As a disease control measure, she said the JPVPP has issued a Notice of Restriction and Prohibition of Animal Movement under Section 18 of the Animals Act 1953 (Act 647) to the infected farms and imposed movement restrictions on pigs to only designated abattoirs to prevent the risk of disease spreading to other areas or districts.
Dr Saira Banu said the department is sampling pigs showing clinical signs at nearby farms for early detection, enhancing biosecurity monitoring, and advising all farmers to report any unusual livestock deaths promptly.
She said that ASF is not contagious to humans, but it significantly impacts the pig farming industry, especially in terms of animal movement restrictions and economic losses for farmers.
'JPVPP advises all pig farmers to strengthen biosecurity measures on their farms, including preventing outsiders or unsanitised vehicles into their premises.
'In addition, any sudden deaths or signs of disease among pigs should be immediately reported to JPVPP,' she also said.
She added that any further information or inquiries can be directed to the Seberang Perai Utara District Veterinary Services Office or directly to JPVPP.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Borneo Post
6 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Milestone for Sarawak's livestock sector as 800 live pigs shipped to Selangor
Dr Rundi (sixth left) leads the ribbon cutting to officially launch of the shipment. – Photo by Chimon Upon KUCHING (July 25): Sarawak's livestock export industry achieved another milestone here today with the official shipment of 800 live pigs to Selangor. Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom described the occasion as a significant step in the state's journey towards becoming a net food exporter by 2030. 'Today we are witnessing 800 heads of pig all the way to Selangor. This event is indeed very significant. In fact, it is a historic moment that we have to share not only with Sarawakians, but also with Malaysians and the world – that we are now able to export live pigs. 'And in the future, perhaps poultry and more. This has been a dream for us. Becoming a net food exporter by 2030 is a gigantic task, but nonetheless, we are making it happen. 'Once people see that it can be done, they get motivated. And once they believe it's possible, the rest is just history,' he told reporters at the official loading ceremony at Pending Port. The shipment is expected to arrive in Klang within 60 hours or approximately two and a half days. Dr Rundi said this first shipment to Peninsular Malaysia would not be the last. 'In the future, there will be bigger shipments and consignment containers that we send to Selangor. They can have the abattoir in Selangor and the meat can be distributed all throughout West Malaysia. And also the plan is to send directly to Penang and Johor,' he said. The pigs were supplied by Green Breeder Sdn Bhd, a Sarawak-based company led by Dr Ng Siew Thiam and his family, who currently export approximately 2,000 pigs weekly to Singapore. Dr Rundi commended the company's efforts and biosecurity standards, noting their success in maintaining exports even during the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak that impacted many other regions. 'Sarawak has been fortunate to remain an exporter of live pigs to Singapore, and now, other Asean countries may also be looking at us in the same light. 'Sarawak is free from foot and mouth disease (FMD) and that gives us a real advantage and leverage in attracting investors and encouraging more livestock farming activities here in the state,' he explained. Dr Rundi pointed out Sarawak first began exporting live pigs to Singapore in 2017, starting with a farm in Simunjan. He said the initial goal was to involve smallholder farmers, but biosecurity and technological requirements proved challenging. 'Not many could survive under such tight protocols, so we had to move from subsistence farming to high tech. Dr Ng told me they are going all the way with high-tech systems and biosecurity. That's why they can survive,' he said. To support the livestock sector's growth, Dr Rundi said the state will establish a new School of Veterinary Medicine in Semenggok through a collaboration with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Sarawak, formerly known as UPM Bintulu Campus. 'At the moment, we are lacking veterinarians. We need many more to manage and support the livestock industry. 'When we visited Brazil, they had 4,000 vets looking after their cattle. Here, we have only 15 government vets handling everything, while the rest are private. So, it has to be comprehensive – we must plan everything properly so that we can realise the dream we have. 'With this initiative, we can plan more effectively for the future of the livestock and agricultural sectors in Sarawak. I see great potential for Sarawak to become an agricultural hub,' he added. On the issue of pork prices, Dr Rundi said the government is monitoring the situation, but market rates are ultimately driven by supply and demand. 'When you talk about business, it's supply and demand. What we need now is to increase the supply to help reduce the price. 'At the moment, the supply is limited, so prices go up. That's why everyone is craving for it and they have to pay for it. But if we can increase production and volume, we will have better control over supply and pricing,' he said. He explained that the government is taking steps to prevent prices from soaring too high. 'At the moment, the price is around RM32 per kg. In Sabah, it's RM45, and in West Malaysia, even more — over RM40 to RM45 in the Klang Valley. We are the cheapest now. We cannot complain — but still we complain,' he added. Among those present at the event were Deputy Minister for Modernisation of Agriculture and Regional Development Datuk Martin Ben, Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak director Datu Dr Adrian Susil, Kuching Port Authority general manager Robert Lau Hong Thiam, Sarawak Agriculture Department director Dominic Chunggat, and Green Breeder Sdn Bhd director Dr Ng Yong Han. Dr Stephen Rundi Utom livestock

Barnama
3 days ago
- Barnama
Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2025 Tabled For First Reading
KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 (Bernama) -- The Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2025 was tabled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, when tabling the bill, said that the second reading would be presented in the current parliamentary sitting. According to the blue copy of the bill circulated in Parliament, the proposed amendments to the Poisons Act 1952 (Act 366) include changes to Section 2 of the Act, particularly in the definition of 'authorised officer' to now encompass police officers of any rank as well as individuals appointed by the Minister of Health under Section 31A.

Barnama
3 days ago
- Barnama
No New ASF Cases In Perak, Pig Farms Continue Operations
IPOH, July 22 (Bernama) -- The Perak government has confirmed that no new cases of African swine fever (ASF) have been reported since 2024, indicating that the situation remains under control despite a spike in infections in neighbouring Penang. State Human Resources, Health, Indian Community Affairs and National Integration Committee chairman A. Sivanesan said all pig farms in the state remain operational, noting that pork remains a vital source of protein for the country's non-Muslim population. 'About 26 per cent of the population, roughly eight million people, rely on pork as an alternative protein source. If farms are shut down, these consumers will turn to chicken and fish, which could strain those markets,' he said. ASF was first detected in Perak in wild boars in December 2021, followed by cases at a pig farm in Batang Padang in March 2022 and at the Multi Agriculture farm in Tronoh in October 2023. Between 2022 and 2023, the disease affected 18 farms and 19,335 pigs. Thirteen of those farms have since resumed operations, while five were permanently closed. In 2024, Perak produced 17.4 million kilograms of pork, enough to meet local demand despite ongoing farm restructuring. However, with continued interstate exports, the state still imports pork to meet overall consumption needs. To modernise the sector, Sivanesan will leave for China tomorrow to study advanced pig farming practices. He added that nearly 55 per cent of applications for modern farm planning approval have been approved by local authorities and are currently being processed. On another note, Sivanesan said Perak has recorded only one pertussis (whooping cough) case this year, a two-month-old infant who tested positive after receiving a single dose of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine. This represents a 96.6 per cent decline from the 29 cases reported during the same period in 2024. The infant has since made a full recovery and four close contacts tested negative. No deaths have been reported.