Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussin, who is also the State Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, said the viral infection was being spread from one human being to another and not from pigs.

Replying to a question from Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail (BN-Pantai Manis) at the State Assembly sitting today, he said the pig farms would only be closed if they did not meet the conditions and standards stipulated.

According to Bernama, Mr Yahya said that since the outbreak of the virus in April, his ministry, via the Veterinary Services and Animal Husbandry Department, had taken measures to ensure that pig farms in the state did not carry the virus.

Among the measures taken were taking blood samples and 'nasal swabs' from the pigs for analyses, he said.

"A total of 1,411 samples of 'nasal swabs' and 1,371 blood samples had been taken from 63 pig farms in the state and the Federal Territory of Labuan.

"At the same time, clinical observations are also being carried out in all districts where no positive cases were found among the pigs and workers at the farms," he added.