A total of 27,344 pigs have been culled in Penang so far this year to contain the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the state.

Penang Veterinary Services Department (DVS) director Dr Saira Banu Mohamed Rejab said that livestock at 21 of the 30 commercial pig farms where ASF was positively identified had already been disposed of by suffocation with carbon dioxide gas, adding that the remaining nine farms were instructed to slaughter their pigs at designated abattoirs before selling them after the second test showed that the animals had tested negative for ASF.

“Currently, there are five farms suspected to be ASF positive. One of them is in North Seberang Perai and four others in South Seberang Perai,” she told reporters here today.

In a separate matter, Saira Banu said Penang is still free of rabies cases so far. The last positive case of the virus was reported in the state about eight years ago.

She said her department conducts surveillance and sampling every year to detect the virus in dogs at risk and the results obtained so far have been negative.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency