PRO/AH/EDR> African swine fever – Asia (29): Malaysia (PK) meat carcasses
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AFRICAN SWINE FEVER – ASIA (29): MALAYSIA (PERAK) MEAT CARCASSES
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Date: Fri 1 Dec 2023 12:15 MYT
Source: Malay Mail [abridged, edited]
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/12/01/exco-two-african-swine-fever-cases-involving-25143-kilogrammes-of-pork-carcasses-reported-in-ipoh/105201
Perak recorded 2 cases of African swine fever (ASF) involving 25 143
kg of meat carcasses at 2 cold storage premises in Menglembu here.
State Human Resources, Health, Indian Community Affairs and National
Integration committee chairman A. Sivanesan said that the enforcement
unit from the state Veterinary Department raided the premises on 22
Nov 2023 after receiving complaints that the meat carcasses were
smuggled from a country that was not approved for importing pork
meat.
“The authorities found that the pork carcasses were not slaughtered at
a licensed or approved slaughterhouse. 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 23 Nov 2023. All pork carcasses amounting to 25 142 kg [55 428
lbs] were seized for further investigation,” he told a press
conference at the sideline of Perak State Legislative Assembly at the
Perak Darul Ridzuan Building here.
Sivanesan 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.
“If convicted, the offenders can be fined not more than RM 10 000
(about USD 2139.72) under rule 17 of the same Act,” he said. He also
added that all the pork carcasses worth RM 502 840 (about USD 107 605)
were disposed of on 28 Nov 2023 and 29 Nov 2023 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 added.
Sivanesan also said that ASF was first detected in Perak in wild boars
in December 2021.
“As of October 2023, a total of 9 positive cases of ASF detected in
wild boars in Perak. While a total of 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 27 Oct 2023 in Tronoh, Perak.
To date, the number of ASF-infected pigs that have been destroyed and
disposed of is at 19 285,” he said. Sivanesan explained that ASF is an
acute hemorrhagic fever disease caused by a virus from the
Asfarviridae family that attacks domestic and wild pigs.
He also said that the disease spread rapidly and would cause 100%
death in the infected pigs within 2 to 10 days and no vaccines were
found to cure the infected pigs as of today [1 Dec 2023].
Sivanesan also said that the control and eradication of ASF disease
was gazetted in Perak on 5 Apr 2022 under Section 36 (1) of the Animal
Act 1953 [Act 647]. “It is the responsibility of the pig farm owners
to report to the authorities if their livestock were infected with
ASF.”