African swine fever case confirmed in Hong Kong's slaughterhouse

HONG KONG -- An African swine fever (ASF) case was confirmed at a slaughterhouse in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and about 6,000 pigs would be culled, a health official of the SAR government said late Friday.

Sophia Chan, secretary for food and health of the HKSAR government, said it was confirmed Friday afternoon that ASF virus was found in a pig in the Sheung Shui slaughterhouse in the New Territories.

An inter-departmental meeting was held to discuss the response action and follow up work.

Chan said, in order to minimize the risk of ASF virus spreading from the slaughterhouse, all pigs in Sheung Shui slaughterhouse would be culled so that thorough cleansing and disinfection could be conducted.

"The operation of the Sheung Shui slaughterhouse will be suspended until the completion of the disinfection work," Chan said, adding that the SAR government would enhance the surveillance and testing of pigs.