IPOH: A total of nine positive cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) were detected in wild boars in Perak as of October this year, with the first case traced back in December 2021.
State Human Resources, Health and Indian Community Affairs Committee chairman A. Sivanesan, said 18 positive cases of ASF have been reported in commercial pig farms, involving several phases of the disease.
"The latest positive case of ASF was on October 27 in Tronoh, Perak. To date, about 19,285 ASF-infected pigs have been culled," he told a press conference at the Perak Darul Ridzuan Building, here, today (December 1).
Meanwhile, he said the Health Division of the state Veterinary Department found pork carcasses in two cold storage premises in Menglembu, which were not slaughtered at a licensed or approved slaughterhouse.
The raid on the premises was carried out on November 22 after receiving complaints that the meat carcasses were smuggled from a country that was not approved for importing pork meat.
Sivanesan said the carcasses also showed clinical signs of ASF disease and the sample taken by the Ipoh Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) confirmed that it was positive for ASF on November 23.
"All pork carcasses, amounting to 25,142 kilogrammes were seized for further investigation," he said.
He said that the operator of the premises was found to have committed an offence under the Animal Act 1953 (Act 647), Rule 5(3) of the Animal (Slaughter Control) Rules 2009, for possessing pig carcasses that were not slaughtered at an approved or licensed slaughterhouse.
He added that all the pork carcasses were disposed of on November 28 and 29 after receiving an order from the Magistrates' Court here.
"The authorities have also carried out disinfection work at both the premises.
"The actions of premise owners to store and sell pork carcasses infected with ASF will cause the disease to spread further and threaten the pig industry in the state and country," he said. – Bernama