KOTA KINABALU: Penampang has become the 20th district to be declared an African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak district in Sabah.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said the virus was first detected on 14 December 2021 and has spread to five villages in Inobong, Sugud and Koidupan.
“The cases involved a total of 229 backyard pigs owned by six different owners. The loss is estimated to be as high as RM115,000,” he said in a statement here today.
Kitingan who is also the Agriculture and Fisheries Minister said Penampang has two commercial pig farms with an estimated 2,900 pigs.
In order to prevent the virus from spreading to nearby districts, the ministry through the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) will conduct awareness campaigns in the Penampang district to ensure that the people are well-informed about ASF.
The department will also monitor and control the movement of pigs and pork products to ensure that none leave Penampang for the time being.
Since the ASF outbreak was first declared last year, ten districts have been declared ASF-free after 60 days have passed since the last case was reported.
These districts are Kota Marudu, Pitas, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Beluran, Telupid, Tongod, Tawau, Lahad Datu, and Semporna.
“The government is aware of the people’s anxiety particularly as the Chinese New Year is just around the corner. However, we remain optimistic that pork supply in Sabah will be sufficient to meet demand,” he said.
