African Swine Fever Hits Popular Tourist Island of Bali
Balinese authorities have confirmed that Bali, the tropical island destination in Indonesia, has now been struck by African swine fever (ASF). Nearly 1,000 pigs have died in the province over the past few months. Despite the outbreak, authorities believe they have successfully contained the disease as no new pigs have died in the last few days, The Jakarta Post reports.
The pigs died between December and January, according to Reuters. ASF has claimed the lives of more than 43,000 pigs in Indonesia’s North Sumatra province, forcing the government to isolate affected areas.
The Bali outbreak is believed to have been triggered by pig farmers feeding leftovers and food from nearby hotels without cooking it first.
In December, the Bali agriculture and food security agency, issued a circular regarding the numerous pig deaths across Bali, warning farmers not to feed livestock leftovers and raw food material from hotels.
The agency told The Jakarta Post that the pig population across Bali can reach up to 800,000 head and that the agency has been working to stop the spread of ASF.
Authorities do not believe the outbreak will affect Bali’s tourism industry, as ASF is a disease of pigs only and not people. However, it’s very important that travelers follow proper travel protocols when visiting a country that is positive for ASF.
Read a list of five travel guidelines here.
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