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According to Bernama, Datuk Bakri Sawir — who is also the state’s Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Action Committee chairman — said all the pigs in the 19 farms were infected with the African swine fever before they were moved to unknown locations by the farm owners.
“On 13 April, a total of 273 pigs infected with the African swine fever were culled. Several days later, the Negeri Sembilan Veterinary Services Department (JPVNS) conducted checks on 19 farms but found the pigs [were] missing,” he told the national news agency on Sunday, 24 April.
“However, we do not have any proof that all the pigs had been culled.”
Harian Metro reported him advising the public to be cautious.
The exco said JPVNS has carried out checks along the main routes involving the 19 illegal farms but the investigations are ongoing.
He assured the public that legal action will be taken against those involved.
Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun has since called state officials to lodge a police report over the matter and expressed his concern that the virus might spread to other states, reported Bernama.
273 pigs were later selectively slaughtered to prevent the spread of the disease.
African swine fever is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease affecting both domestic and feral swine (wild pigs) of all ages, noted the US Department of Agriculture on an official website.
It has a high mortality rate among pigs, but it cannot be transmitted from pigs to humans and does not pose a threat to human health.
It is also not a food safety issue as the virus can be killed whenever it is cooked at around 60?C for 20 minutes.