Hong Kong authorities to slaughter 32 pigs after African swine fever hits farm in Yuen Long

A farm in Yuen Long, Hong Kong, has been affected by an outbreak of African swine fever. As a result, the authorities have decided to cull, or kill, 32 pigs to prevent the disease from spreading further. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) discovered that half of the pigs at the farm were infected with the virus. They have now halted the transportation of any pigs from the affected farm.

The AFCD reassures the public that there is no cause for concern. The virus does not infect humans, so it does not pose any food safety risks. The outbreak has not impacted the operation of local slaughterhouses or the overall supply of live pigs. The virus has wreaked havoc on the global pork industry in recent years. All pig farmers in Hong Kong have been informed about the incident. Three other farms within a close radius of the infected site were inspected and no abnormalities were found.

Earlier in February, about 100 pigs at a farm in Sheung Shui were culled after 32 of them tested positive for the African swine fever virus. The farm was investigated after the department received reports of pig carcasses being disposed of at a nearby station for the collection of animal remains. So far, no vaccine has proved effective against the swine fever virus that has devastated the global pork industry in recent years. However, a new vaccine candidate, developed by Chinese scientists, has shown promising signs of tackling the issue. Early stages show that infected pigs can recover after receiving the vaccine candidate.