A staff from DVSS Lawas shows a sample taken from dead pigs in Long Tanid last week.
MIRI (July 6): The Sarawak Department of Veterinary Services (DVSS) is investigating the cause of death of five pigs, reportedly in Long Semadoh Rayeh and Long Tanid near Ba Kelalan in Lawas, said its director Dr Adrian Susin Ambud.
When contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday, Dr Adrian informed that his staff in Lawas had been tasked to carry out investigation into reports of death of the pigs in the two villages, in light of the outbreak of the African Swine Fever (ASF) in Sabah and at Nunukan and Krayan provinces in North Kalimantan, Indonesia.
“Samples from these dead pigs need to be taken first and only then we can know whether they had been infected with the ASF.
“However, they could have died due to other reasons because if it’s ASF, it would not involve a few deaths only,” he said.
To a question, Dr Adrian said there had been no confirmed cases of ASF in the state thus far as samples taken from various pigs and wild boars across the state had tested negative for the disease.
Singa Buas
A villager from Long Semadoh Rayeh, Singa Buas, claimed that four pigs died in Long Tanid last week, while another villager claimed that one had died in Long Semadoh Rayeh.
Previously, a report was also lodged with DVSS Lawas after villagers found a dead wild boar in Puneng Trusan on June 29.
Puneng Trusan is located very near to Long Pasia in Sabah, which takes about a day of trekking on foot to get there.
Krayan province, on the other hand, is located very near to Ba Kelalan.
Yesterday, DVSS declared Kapit Division and Telang Usan District as ASF disease control areas.