Over 6,000 pigs in a Sheung Shui abattoir were culled last month in an attempt by the Hong Kong government to end the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF).1 You may have a million questions marks in your head, not sure whether is it safe to consume pork and how it will affect your health. Here are answers to some important questions about ASF to ease your worries.
1. What is African Swine Fever?
ASF is a highly contagious, viral and often fatal disease in pigs and wild boar. It spreads through direct or indirect contact between the infected animals.2
2. How does it transmit to humans?
It doesn’t. ASF is not zoonotic, i.e. it is a disease in animals that does not infect humans.3
3. What is the treatment for the infected animals?
There is no vaccine or treatment for ASF at this stage.4
4. Will ASF virus mutate and eventually become transmittable to humans?
ASF virus has not mutated and become cross-species transmittable over the past century.4
5. What happens if I consume infected pork?
ASF only infects pigs and wild boar. It does not pose any threat to human health. As such, it is not a food safety concern. As always, it is safe to consume pork and pork products as long as they are cooked thoroughly.2
6. What should I be aware of?
- Always buy meat from licensed meat premises.
- Meat, game, poultry and eggs are not allowed into the city without official health certificates.
- This is how to store meat properly, especially in the summer.
Although ASF does not pose any health risk to humans, it is impacting the pig farming sector worldwide heavily which severely affects food supply. Consumers around the globe face the impact of higher pork prices as supply tightens, burdening our daily expenses. Therefore, it is important that we work together in order to stop ASF from spreading to other countries.
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