Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan today said all pigs in Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse will be culled after African Swine Fever (ASF) virus was found in a pig there. 

Prof Chan chaired an inter-departmental meeting to discuss the response action and follow-up work after the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department confirmed that a sample taken from a pig at the slaughterhouse tested positive for the virus.

“In order to minimise the risk of ASF virus spreading from the slaughterhouse, all pigs in Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse will be culled so that thorough cleansing and also disinfection could be conducted.

“The operation of the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse will be suspended until the completion of the disinfection work.” 

Prof Chan said there are about 6,000 pigs at the slaughterhouse.

“We envisage that fresh pork supply will be reduced in the near future. However, as Tsuen Wan Slaughterhouse is not affected and will operate as normal, there will still be a limited supply of live pigs available to the market.”

The health chief said ASF poses no food safety risk as it will not be transmitted to humans, adding that well-cooked pork is safe for consumption.

“We will enhance the surveillance and also testing of pigs, and currently we collect samples from pigs with ASF symptoms for testing, and in the future we will step up the sampling of other pigs for testing.” 

The pig concerned was imported from a Guangdong pig farm, and the Centre for Food Safety is investigating the source of the virus infection.