African Swine Fever has not spread beyond the Papua New Guinea provinces declared disease areas, the biosecurity authority says.
It conceded, however, a “pocket infection” was detected in Western Highlands.
The presence of the deadly pig disease was confirmed in PNG in March, when the upper Highlands provinces of Southern Highlands, Enga and Hela were labeled “disease areas”.
It is not known how the fever reached PNG but an outbreak in China in 2018 is estimated to have led to the deaths of more than 200 million pigs.
PNG’s National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA) said it was now trying to dispel misinformation that African Swine Fever (ASF) had reached lower highlands provinces.
While the virus had spread within the disease areas, Eastern Highlands, Jiwaka and Chimbu provinces were free of the virus, NAQIA said.
“There was, however, a pocket infection detected in a settlement within the Mt Hagen central area (Western Province),” NAQIA said in a press release on 31 July.
“With support from the pig owners and the land owners the infection was effectively contained and eradicated by slaughtering and disposal of the infected pigs.”
In June, NAQIA field epidemiologist Andy Yombo said it was likely ASF was spreading within the disease areas.
“But if it does get into some of the coastal provinces or the remote districts where there are wild pigs, then this disease it not something we can think of getting rid of in the the near future,” Mr Yombo warned.
NAQIA said the dedication of “public servants from provincial administrations, the police and army personnel” had prevented spread from the upper Highlands, of a virus that could destroy a “very important source of livelihood”.
Checkpoints had been set up “at strategic locations within the three provinces and their borders to control pig and port meat products”.
“NAQIA has in place a work plan for the next six months to strategically strengthen control measures at the checkpoints… in the Western Highlands / Enga borders, Western Highlands / Southern Highlands borders and the Southern Highlands / Hela / Enga borders.
“NAQIA is pleading to all Highlands provincial administrations, politicians and its good people to please adhere to NAQIA’s control measures.
“Together we can defeat this enemy without heavy losses.”
