Month-long pig culling ends

Month-long pig culling ends

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): A mass pig culling operation in a Malaysian state, to curb an encephalitis outbreak that has killed 98 people, ended on Sunday with 640,500 pigs killed.

The operation began on March 20 in southwest Negeri Sembilan state where 83 of the victims had died since early this year, the official Bernama news agency said.

State veterinary services director Majid Awang said all personnel, including more than 1,000 soldiers, deployed for the exercise would be withdrawn from the areas of operation.

Another 40 people in Negeri Sembilan were still warded at six hospitals due to suspected encephalitis, of which 19 were in critical condition, Bernama said.