Source:
http://nuriilbo.com/news/article.html?no=578510
Translation:
Confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza at Meat Duck Farm in Eumseong, Chungcheongbuk-do
Reporter Shin Hyeon-gil
nr0605@nuriilbo.com
Registered 2024.11.08 19:50:03
(Nuri Ilbo) The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza confirmed H5 type avian influenza at a meat duck farm (approximately 23,600 ducks) in Eumseong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do on November 7. On November 8, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters held a quarantine meeting with relevant ministries and local governments to review the situation of the highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak and quarantine measures.
On November 7, the owner of a meat duck farm in Eumseong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, reported an increase in deaths to the livestock quarantine agency, and a detailed examination confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) on November 8. This is the second outbreak this year.
In addition, considering the current situation of highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds in our country (6 cases) and in Japan (6 cases in poultry farms and 14 cases in wild birds), this is a serious situation that can occur anywhere in the country, so quarantine measures should be strengthened for each farm and early reporting to quarantine authorities is required when suspicious symptoms are present.
As soon as the H5 antigen was confirmed at a meat duck farm in Eumseong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do on November 7, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters preemptively implemented entry control, preventive culling, and epidemiological investigation by deploying an initial response team in accordance with the 'Avian Influenza Emergency Operation Guidelines (SOP)'.
Meanwhile, in order to block the spread, a temporary standstill order has been issued to duck farms and related livestock facilities (feed factories, slaughterhouses, etc.) and livestock vehicles nationwide from 11:00 PM on Thursday, November 7 to 11:00 PM on Friday, November 8, and compliance is being monitored.
In addition, we are conducting detailed inspections of farms (approximately 40 households), livestock facilities (10 locations), and livestock vehicles (6 vehicles) related to the outbreak farm epidemiology, and are disinfecting roads around migratory bird arrival areas, small rivers, and reservoirs nationwide, as well as access roads to poultry farms, by mobilizing all available disinfection resources (approximately 1,300 vehicles) every day.
The revised version will strengthen quarantine measures as follows to block and prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
First, in order to detect avian influenza-infected livestock early, the nationwide detailed inspection cycle for poultry farms will be shortened and operated, and a comprehensive detailed inspection will be conducted from November 8 to 13 on all duck farms in the same affiliated farm as the outbreak farm and all duck farms in Chungcheongbuk-do.
Second, the amount of samples to be tested at slaughterhouses affiliated with the same farm as the outbreak farm will be increased from the current 30% to 60%.
Third, special inspections will be conducted on 166 farms that have not participated in the duck breeding restriction, which poses a high risk of livestock infectious diseases, from November 11 to 22, and comprehensive inspections will be completed on 204 large-scale laying hen farms by November 15. In addition, the inspection cycle by the responsible officer for laying hen complexes will be shortened from once every two weeks to once a week.
Fourth, a 'nationwide intensive disinfection week' will be implemented until November 15, disinfecting roads around migratory bird arrival areas and nearby poultry farms (1,188 units) at least twice a day.
Fifth, in order to raise awareness in poultry farms, intensive training on basic quarantine rules will be conducted by poultry producer groups and affiliates, and local governments will repeatedly promote quarantine rules to poultry farms through dedicated officers at each farm.
Kim Jong-gu, director of the Agricultural Innovation Policy Office at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, asked local governments to “thoroughly manage poultry farms so that they do not miss regular inspections and checks, and strengthen management of affiliates so that affiliates can have a sense of responsibility and thoroughly educate and inspect contracted farms.”
n addition, he requested, “Please do your utmost to manage laying hen farms so that the price of eggs, which is closely related to the people’s lives, is not affected,” and emphasized, “In order to prevent highly pathogenic avian influenza, it is most important for farmers to follow basic quarantine rules, such as thorough disinfection and changing boots, so please educate, promote, and inspect farms.”
We requested the Ministry of Public Administration and Security and the Ministry of Environment to “cooperate in checking the status of quarantine by local governments and in forecasting, inspection, and information sharing on migratory bird arrival sites.”
Lastly, he requested, “All relevant ministries, local governments, and livestock farms should cooperate and do their best in quarantine management to minimize damage caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza.”
As of November, the supply of duck meat is stable, and the number of ducks culled due to the outbreak of avian influenza this time is approximately 23,600, which is 0.28% of the number of ducks raised in Korea (8.45 million), so the impact on the domestic supply and demand of ducks is not expected to be significant. The countermeasure headquarters plans to closely monitor the supply and demand situation and manage the supply and demand of livestock products without any gaps.
