100 pigs at Hong Kong farm culled after 32 cases of African swine fever detected
- Authorities say infections will not affect local pork supply or operations of slaughterhouses
- Immediate spot checks on nearby farms in Sheung Shui also carried out; no further cases found
Hong Kong authorities have culled about 100 pigs at a farm in Sheung Shui after 32 of the animals tested positive for the African swine fever virus.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department on Friday night said the infections would not affect local pork supply or operations at local slaughterhouses, adding that the virus did not pose any food safety hazards.
The 32 cases were detected during an inspection of a licensed pig farm at Ta Kwu Ling, Sheung Shui.
In response to Post inquiries, the department on Sunday night said it had started investigating the farm after receiving reports of “a number of pig carcasses” disposed of at a nearby animal carcass collection station.
Authorities would investigate the possible source of infection and take enforcement action when necessary, it added.
The department immediately suspended the supply of pigs from the farm until further notice, in line with contingency procedures for the virus, a spokesman said in a statement on Friday.
“The farm has about 100 pigs which will all be culled for the sake of prudence,” he said. “African swine fever is not a zoonotic disease and will not infect humans, hence it does not cause any food safety risk.”
The spokesman added authorities had immediately inspected five other pig farms within 3km of the affected premises, with no further cases detected.
The government will step up inspection of all local pig farms to ensure “biosecurity measures have been properly implemented”, according to the spokesman.
The department said it would, with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, also continue to conduct cleaning and disinfection of live pigs from mainland China to minimise the risk of cross-infection with the African swine fever virus.
According to the World Organisation for Animal Health, African swine fever is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, with a mortality rate that can reach 100 per cent.
There is at present no effective vaccine against the virus. It is also highly resistant, surviving on clothes, wheels and other materials, as well as in pork products, such as ham, sausages and bacon.
Pigs in Hong Kong are slaughtered within 24 hours of being sent to an abattoir. Pig farmers must also adopt proper biosecurity measures, including vehicle and personnel control in and out of farms.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department in February 2021 announced the culling of all 3,000 pigs on a farm in Wong Nai Tun, Yuen Long after six African swine fever cases were found.
Authorities detected the African swine fever virus in a local wild boar carcass sample in September the same year. It was the first known wild boar case in the city.
