Singapore reports first case of African swine fever

Southeast Asia island has no commercial or backyard pig farms.

National Hog Farmer Staff

February 13, 2023

1 Min Read
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Singapore has confirmed its first case of African swine fever in a wild boar carcass. Through the country's ongoing biosurveillance, one dead wild boar was found in a nature park in North-West Singapore on Feb. 5. ASF virus DNA was then detected from the carcass by real-time PCR and confirmed by sequencing on Feb. 7.

Singapore has no domestic pig production, nor are pigs kept as pets. Singapore has captive pigs which are held within a zoological collection. According to the World Organization for Animal Health, the country aims to continue monitoring these animals, with no reports or evidence of ASF in these animals thus far.

Wild boars are native to Singapore and can be found in nature reserves, parks and other green spaces. Officials will be closely monitoring the health of wild boars in these areas and will euthanize sick wild boars on animal welfare grounds.

Since the country does not have any commercial or backyard pig farms for pork production and continues to be free from ASF in domestic and captive wild pigs, the Singapore Food Agency has also reached out to authorities in other countries that trade with Singapore, to assure them that their products remain eligible for export regardless of Singapore's ASF status.

Since August 2018, ASF has been reported in the following Asia and Pacific nations: China, Mongolia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, The Philippines, Republic of Korea, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, India, Malaysia, Bhutan, Thailand and Nepal.

 

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National Hog Farmer Staff

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