Update Feb. 7: Bagus said he misspoke when asked for a statement about the African Swine Fever plaguing the island. Bali officials are now saying that they are only suspecting ASF to be the cause of mass swine deaths of recent months. Read on here.
Update Feb.5: Ida Bagus Wisnuwardhana, who heads the agriculture and food security agency in Bali, confirmed that swine deaths on the island were caused by the African Swine Fever (ASF).
Original story follows.
Hundreds of pigs across Bali have reportedly died from similar symptoms since December, prompting authorities to launch an investigation and raise better awareness among farmers and local residents as a precaution.
According to a Detik report, there have been 564 pig deaths reported in Badung regency alone since the beginning of January. Pig deaths have also been reported in other parts of Bali, including the city of Denpasar, as well as Tabanan and Gianyar regencies.
Many of the pigs died after exhibiting similar symptoms, including high fever, vomiting and diarrhea. As reported by Kompas, authorities are still waiting for lab results to determine the cause of deaths and to ensure whether or not they have been caused by a virus, including the African Swine Fever (ASF).
“We are also educating the people in regards to this pig disease epidemic to anticipate and give them and understanding,” I Wayan Wijana, who heads the Agriculture and Food Agency in Badung Regency, told Detik yesterday.
Wijana said pig farmers have been instructed to keep pig stalls clean and to limit people’s access to them in order to prevent the possible virus from spreading.
Read more news and updates from Bali here.
