Quarantine Agency Ensures Pork Shipments From NTT Are ASF Virus Free

A pig was about to be examined for blood samples in Adonara, East Flores. (ANTARA)

EAST FLORES - The Kupang Class I Agricultural Quarantine Agency, East Nusa Tenggara confirmed that dozens of aid pigs sent to East Flores and other areas were not exposed to the African Swine Fever (ASF) virus because they had passed lab tests and quarantine.

"So it is true that when the epidemic was surging again there were rules prohibiting pigs between islands, but in 2021 a new instruction appeared from the governor of NTT which provides concessions for sending pigs, but only in a certain amount," said the Head of Class I Kupang Quarantine Center, Yulius Umbu Hunggar, as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, January 25.

He conveyed this in relation to cases of death of pigs in a number of districts in NTT which worried a number of people in NTT, especially pig farmers.

He said that even though there is a leeway for shipping pigs between islands, there are conditions that must be met if you want to ship pigs island-wide.

For the aid pigs, totaling 50 for Sikka and East Flores districts, he said, they were sent after going through laboratory tests and being quarantined for 14 days.

"Because for 14 days there were no symptoms, they were declared safe and sent to another area," he said.

Therefore, he continued, if there are residents who send their pigs to other islands, but without going through laboratory tests and being quarantined for 14 days, they will automatically be detained at the port.

Meanwhile, regarding the emergence of rumors stating that the pigs that died in a number of districts were due to the African Swine Fever (ASF) virus originating from pig feed, Umbu said that this could happen.

"The spread of the virus can occur through any media, either through animal feed or also cleaning cages and others," he said.

According to him, it is also possible that the animal feed given is animal feed that has been mixed with a virus that is harmful to pigs.

Because of that, he continued, to monitor the health of pigs, and prevention must start from the owner of the pig itself. For animal feed, he said, everything still comes from the NTT region itself.