January 26, 2005

 

 

Malaysian farm sees 100 pigs die after high fever

 

More than 100 pigs recently died in a farm in Paya Mengkuang, about 40km from Malacca with preliminary reports showing that the animals had suffered from high fever.

 

The animals suddenly collapsed and died between Jan 20 and 25.

 

The cause of the fever is still not clear, State Human Resources, Health and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Seah Kwi Tong said today.

 

"We do not yet know what caused the fever," Seah said. "It could be food poisoning, but we do not rule out the possibility of a viral infection."

 

The actual cause would only be known after a complete report was received from the State Veterinary Services Department later today, he said.

 

The report will be submitted to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam tomorrow at the State Executive Council meeting. A statement would be released to the Press after that, Seah said.

 

Asked if workers at the farm had been screened for any possible infection, he said only the owner, his wife and a son worked there and the family had not shown any signs of illness.

 

A farm owner was quoted as saying that so far 120 pigs in his farm had died.

 

These animals were among the 260 that had eaten a local feed he had bought earlier in the month.

 

"But there were no signs that the animals became sick or were poisoned by the feed. They were healthy one minute, and the next, they were dead," said the bewildered farmer.

 

Loo, whose farm had over 650 pigs, said he feared more would die in the next few days.

 

Meanwhile, Na Tian Lam, chairman of the pig unit of the Malacca branch of the Federation of Livestock Farmers' Associations Malaysia, said pork from other sources in the State was safe for consumption and consumers need not worry.

 

In 1998, the local pig industry was hit by the Japanese Encephalitis virus that could be transmitted from pigs to humans. More than 250 people were infected and nearly 100 died from the disease.