3,000 pigs at Hong Kong farm to be culled after African swine fever appears to be spreading

Disease was first detected at the facility in Yuen Long last week, triggering two smaller culls

Swine fever had never previously been detected in locally raised pigs

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Pigs at the Sheung Shui slaughterhouse. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 12:42am, 10 Feb 2021Updated: 1:04am, 10 Feb 2021

Authorities have ordered all 3,000 pigs at a farm in northern Hong Kong culled after African swine fever appeared to be spreading at the facility.

Six samples taken from one shed on the premises at Wong Nai Tun in Yuen Long returned traces of the disease on February 4, triggering the culling of 240 pigs, and two additional samples from another shed came back positive on Saturday, prompting the killing of 590 more pigs, indicating it was spreading, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said on Tuesday.

The disease had never previously been detected in locally raised pigs.

The disease is harmless to humans and not considered a threat to food safety but it spreads fast among swine populations. Photo: SCMP Pictures

After consulting international experts, the department decided to order the culling of the remaining 3,000 pigs.

“The department will cull the remaining 3,000 pigs in an orderly manner as the ground situation allows and as soon as possible,” a spokesman said. “The owner will be compensated according to the established mechanism.”

3,000 pigs at Hong Kong farm to be culled after African swine fever appears to be spreading

Disease was first detected at the facility in Yuen Long last week, triggering two smaller culls Swine fever had never previously been detected in locally raised pigs

Disease was first detected at the facility in Yuen Long last week, triggering two smaller culls

Swine fever had never previously been detected in locally raised pigs