KUCHING, 8 JULY: Following the suspected African Swine Fever outbreak in Sarawak, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing has reminded pig farm operators to take necessary precautions to avoid being carriers of the deadly disease.
According to Masing, pig farmers are to avoid feeding meat scraps to their pigs and to use separate clothing and footwear around pigs, noting that while it is not harmful to humans, it is devastating to the livestock industry.
“Although the African Swine Fever does not infect humans, you can still be a carrier and affect the pigs that you rear domestically,” Masing said after he was briefed by the Department Of Veterinary Services (DVS) Sarawak in his office today.
Farm operators are also reminded against moving sick pigs off their farm or to use meat from sick pigs and to report any illness or deaths involving pigs to the animal health service.
According to DVS, the African Swine Fever that has been suspected in Sarawak may have originated from neighbouring Kalimantan and Sabah.
