Perak Free from New African Swine Fever Cases, Situation Under Control
Perak Free from New African Swine Fever Cases, Situation Under Control
The Perak government has confirmed that no new cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) have been reported since 2024, with the current situation remaining fully under control.
State Human Resources, Health, Indian Community Affairs and National Integration Committee Chairman, A. Sivanesan, emphasized that although the outbreak is affecting the neighboring state of Penang, there are no plans to close pig farms in Perak.
Concerns Over Protein Supply
"In reality, about 26 percent of our country's population consumes pork for protein, and the government is concerned that if we cannot supply this pork, those 8 million people will turn to chicken and fish for protein instead," he explained.
"This would threaten the supply of chicken and fish in the market. Even now, the cheapest protein in the market is chicken. If we were to block the sale or production of pork, the situation in the market would worsen," he added during a press conference here today.
History of ASF Transmission in Perak
According to Sivanesan, the first ASF outbreak in Perak was detected on December 4, 2021, involving wild boars, before spreading to pig farms in Batang Padang on March 27, 2022. The last case was reported at the Multi Agriculture Farm in Tronoh on October 25, 2023.
He informed that 18 pig farms were affected by ASF in 2022 and 2023, involving 19,335 pigs. Of that number, 13 farms have resumed operations, while five have been permanently closed.
Perak Imports Pork Due to Limited Supply
Sivanesan also revealed that Perak has had to import pork from abroad due to reduced supply, partly caused by exports to other states.
"So when we send it to other states, the supply here decreases, and that is what is happening now. I will be leaving for China tomorrow morning to visit several farms there because we are in the process of transitioning to modern pig farming," he said.
Whooping Cough Cases Drop Drastically
In other developments, Sivanesan announced that only one case of whooping cough (pertussis) has been recorded in Perak this year, involving a two-month-old baby boy.
"This is a 96.6 percent decrease, as 29 cases of pertussis were detected in Perak during the same period in 2024. This case involved a two-month-old baby who had only received one dose of the DTP vaccine before showing symptoms," he explained.
He urged parents to ensure their children receive complete pertussis vaccinations according to the schedule set at 2, 3, 5, and 18 months to reduce the risk of infection.
With close monitoring and proactive measures by the state government, Perak has successfully maintained control over the ASF outbreak while ensuring the pork supply is not severely affected. Meanwhile, the decline in whooping cough cases demonstrates the effectiveness of the immunization program in protecting public health.
– BERNAMA
