ASF outbreak: 822 pigs culled in Penang, no new infections reported
State DVS director Dr Saira Banu Mohamed Rejab said the figure includes 578 live pigs that were culled and buried, and 244 carcasses that were also buried using proper disposal methods.
"Despite earlier concerns of the disease spreading, no new farms have tested positive for ASF since July 12.
"The number of infected farms remains at three, and authorities continue to maintain strict surveillance," she told the New Straits Times today.
It was reported that authorities had intensified containment measures following confirmed outbreaks of ASF at three pig farms in Kampung Selamat.
The ASF outbreak was first reported on July 7 by a member of the public, who observed pigs exhibiting clinical signs consistent with the disease.
The report triggered an immediate response by the DVS, which conducted inspections and collected samples at surrounding farms.
Dr Saira Banu said the DVS continues to take critical steps to contain and manage the situation.
This includes the disposal of both live infected pigs and carcasses at the affected farms.
She said they had also enforced movement restrictions, barring pigs from infected farms from being transferred elsewhere, with movement only allowed to designated slaughterhouses.
"Ongoing monitoring and sampling at slaughterhouses and farms to detect any new cases early are also underway.
"We have also enhanced biosecurity measures and increased awareness campaigns among pig farmers to prevent further infections," she added.
Dr Saira Banu said investigations were being conducted into farms suspected of failing to report pig deaths.
She said that DVS was also identifying suitable land for use as long-term disposal sites for pigs, if necessary.
Authorities have urged all pig farmers to remain vigilant, comply with all biosecurity guidelines, and report any unusual deaths or symptoms immediately to prevent further spread of ASF.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
11 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Transparency, action keys to building trust in tackling workplace bullying in public healthcare sector '
KUALA LUMPUR: Confidential complaint channels and support systems for victims are crucial in addressing workplace bullying in the public healthcare sector, says Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy. Its chief executive Azrul Mohd Khalib said these mechanisms must be supported with regular reporting of incidents, actions taken and remedial measures — potentially through online dashboards — to ensure transparency and accountability. "It sends a right and positive signal that allegations of workplace bullying and related issues will be taken seriously. "This move provides a framework for such complaints to be properly handled and places accountability on supervisors and the Health Ministry's leadership," he told the New Straits Times. Azrul was commenting on Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad's statement that a secure complaint channel and psychosocial support are among the key features of the ministry's upcoming workplace bullying guidelines, scheduled for launch this October. The guidelines, which will apply to all Health Ministry personnel, outline structured measures to prevent, report, and manage bullying incidents across the ministry. He said the guidelines will include designated reporting channels that ensure confidentiality and protection for complainants. Currently, bullying cases can be reported through the MyHELP portal, which was launched on Oct 1, 2022. Reports submitted online must be investigated within 15 working days, depending on whether the case is classified as standard or complex. Azrul said that while the proposed confidential complaint channels and psychosocial support mechanisms were a step in the right direction, their success would depend on implementation and trust in the system. "The key factor is to ensure confidentiality is protected and that these mechanisms function effectively. It must work through decades of institutional inertia and distrust of bureaucracy," he said. To ensure the guidelines are enforced effectively nationwide, he said leadership must set the tone — from the minister down to heads of divisions, state health directors and frontliners at hospitals and clinics. "There must be training and briefings to show that these guidelines are being taken seriously. Leaders must lead by example to build trust in the system," he said.
New Straits Times
17 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Health Ministry to launch anti-bullying guidelines with psychosocial support in October
KUALA LUMPUR: A safe complaint channel and psychosocial support are among the key features of the Health Ministry's upcoming workplace bullying guidelines, scheduled for launch this October. The guidelines, which apply to all Health Ministry personnel, outline structured measures to prevent, report, and manage bullying incidents across the ministry. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the guidelines will provide designated reporting channels that ensure confidentiality and protection for complainants. "As part of the psychosocial support component, victims will be given access to counselling services, referrals to professionals, and also group support," he told the New Straits Times. He added that confirmed perpetrators would face disciplinary action and undergo counselling interventions. On mechanisms to ensure compliance, Dzulkefly said heads of departments and management teams would be responsible for cultivating a conducive work environment. This, he said, includes implementing preventive measures such as awareness campaigns and training sessions to address bullying. Dzulkefly said monitoring and evaluation would focus on achieving the guidelines' objectives — increasing awareness and reporting, and improving workplace culture and staff well-being. "It will be carried out through a systematic monitoring mechanism that includes data collection and analysis, as well as assessment of the guidelines' implementation and compliance at Health Ministry facilities," he said. On July 12, Dzulkefly had said the guideline is a part of broader efforts to strengthen the ministry's support systems, including the "MyHelp KKM" platform. Currently, bullying cases can be reported through the MyHELP portal, which was launched on Oct 1, 2022. Reports submitted online must be investigated within 15 working days, depending on whether the case is classified as standard or complex. Last year, Dzulkefly had also said that the formation of a special task force to look into bullying cases in hospitals. He had said the task force would investigate bullying cases in general, including those occurring at other healthcare facilities.
New Straits Times
a day ago
- New Straits Times
Over 12,000 animal abuse complaints reported to DVS since 2021
BACHOK: The Veterinary Services Department (DVS) has received a total of 12,417 complaints involving animal abuse, neglect and welfare issues since 2021. DVS director-general Dr Akma Ngah Hamid said that of the total, 249 cases were recorded in 2021, 1,249 in 2022, 1,580 in 2023 and 4,133 in 2024, while 2,533 cases have been reported so far this year as of July 10. "To date, 1,407 licences have been issued for activities involving live animals, including 542 licences for the sale of live animals in captivity and 865 for their accommodation," she said. Dr Akma said that failure to comply with animal welfare requirements, whether as owners or licensees, could result in a fine of not less than RM15,000 and not more than RM75,000, imprisonment for up to two years, or both. She said this to reporters after attending the National Animal Welfare Day 2025 celebration and the Horse Identification Card Registration programme here today. Dr Akma said animal welfare covered not only ruminants but also pets, including dogs, cats, rabbits and horses. "In addition to providing adequate food and water, animal welfare is also assessed based on five main pillars, namely proper nutrition, a comfortable environment, good health, natural behaviour, and emotional well-being," she said. Commenting on this year's National Animal Welfare Day theme, "Pemilik Prihatin, Haiwan Terjaga", Dr Akma said it aimed to raise awareness on the importance of pet owners being responsible in protecting the welfare of their animals. "I believe that if owners are dedicated and committed, their pets will be treated like part of the family," she said. Meanwhile, Kelantan DVS director Dr Yahasmida Yaacob said the programme focused on efforts to ensure that all horses in the state were legally registered and issued with Horse Identification Cards. According to her, microchips served as a unique identification mark for each horse, while the identification card contained the legal owner's details and the animal's health records, including vaccinations and treatments, to ensure effective husbandry. She said the programme also aimed to instil a sense of responsibility among owners to mark their animals with proper identification for their animals through identification cards and microchips. At today's programme, nearly 100 horses were equipped with microchips and issued identification cards. Other activities held during the programme included the Smart Horse competition, briefings on animal welfare and horse identification cards, horse riding, colouring competitions, as well as exhibition and sales booths.
