TELUPID: Keningau has been officially declared a Green Zone (recovery zone) for African Swine Fever (ASF) following no new cases reported since the last incident on January 12, 2025.
Deputy Chief Minister cum State Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey G Kitingan announced this when officiating the new Sabah Veterinary Department building here, on Thursday.
The outbreak involved a farmer in a village in Keningau with 20 infected pigs. The Sabah Department of Veterinary Services immediately implemented preventive measures including disposal of remaining livestock and strict movement controls on pig farming activities and pork products from the affected area.
An ASF awareness campaign was conducted involving farmers and residents within a 10-kilometre radius of the outbreak site. No new ASF cases have been reported statewide since then.
To prevent reinfection, DVS continues monitoring and sampling at pig slaughterhouses across the State.
Sabah maintains import restrictions on pork and pig-related products from Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and ASF-affected countries, except through proper risk analysis and valid import licences.
Beyond ASF, rabies remains a priority focus. DVS actively conducts rabies control programs, particularly along the Sabah-Sarawak and Sabah-Kalimantan borders where the disease remains endemic.
Rabies vaccination programs for dogs and cats are being implemented within a 30-kilometer radius of border areas.
Jeffrey said as a zoonotic disease that can be fatal to humans through infected animal bites, prevention and vaccination measures are critical and cannot be compromised.
