African swine fever found at San Tin farm
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department on Wednesday said a sample from a pig farm near Yuen Long tested positive for African swine fever, after samples from 32 pigs there were taken on Tuesday.  The department has banned the transportation of pigs from the farm in San Tin and culling of its 1,700 pigs will begin this week. African swine fever does not affect humans but it can kill large numbers of pigs and thereby affect the pig rearing industry.  The San Tin farm is within the three-kilometre monitoring zone of a Yuen Long pig farm where the disease was previously detected.  With the incubation period lasting up to 19 days, the department said it would closely monitor other pig farms in the zone and help with their biosecurity measures.  The department said regardless of whether the pigs are infected, pork cooked thoroughly is safe for consumption and members of the public do not need to be concerned. It also said the new case would not affect the operation of local slaughterhouses or the overall supply of live pigs. Measures are also in place to prevent cross infection during transportation and at slaughterhouses.