Pigs slaughtered after virus outbreak

Pigs slaughtered after virus outbreak

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysian authorities said on Tuesday thousands of pigs were being slaughtered to contain an outbreak of the deadly Japanese encephalitis virus (JE) that has killed at least four people in the past few months.

The Veterinary Services Department said some 3,500 pigs at four pig farms in central Negeri Sembilan state were earmarked for slaughter on Tuesday and more than 20,000 would be killed over the next few days, local newspapers reported.

Two central states on either side of the capital have reported outbreaks of the JE virus, which first appeared in Perak state last October and more recently in Negeri Sembilan state.

The Ministry of Health has recorded 48 cases of suspected JE, with the death toll reaching 27 on Tuesday, Abdul Rahman said.

Only four of the 27 deaths -- dating back to October -- were confirmed to be a result of JE, Abdul Rahman said.