KUCHING, July 8: Sarawakians may continue to consume pork but with high awareness to avoid consuming pork from sick pigs infected with African Swine Fever (ASF) which is suspected to have entered Sarawak.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing who gave this advice, reminded farmers to be very vigilant and not to let themselves become spreaders of the deadly disease.
“Although the African Swine Fever does not infect humans, you can still be a carrier and affect the pigs that you rear domestically. You can still consume pork but you must make sure it is not from sick pigs,” Masing said.
Due to the presence of suspected ASF cases in Sarawak, he reminded local farmers to avoid feeding meat scraps to their pigs and to use separate clothing and footwear around pigs.
Masing who is also the Baleh assemblyman warned farmers not to move sick pigs off their farms or to use meat from sick pigs.
“Any illness or deaths in pigs must be reported to animal health services,” said Masing who was briefed on ASF in his office today by the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) Sarawak.
The briefing was conducted via Zoom by Dr Chuo Hock Tieng from the Regulatory Division of DVS. Also in attendance at the briefing was Pelagus assemblyman Wilson Nyabong Ijang, DVS director Dr Adrian Susin Ambud and Sarawak Forestry Corporation CEO Dr Zulkipli Aton.
According to DVS, the suspected ASF cases in Sarawak may have originated from neighbouring Kalimantan and the cases in Sabah from the Philippines. Even though it is not harmful to humans, ASF can wreck havoc is devastating on the animal husbandry sector. — DayakDaily
