Jeollanam-do announced on the 25th that it is making every effort to prevent the spread in relation to the detection of the H5 avian influenza antigen at a home-based poultry farm (raising native chickens) in Yeongam.
The farm is a small operation raising 14 native chickens and 4 geese. On the 24th, the farmer reported increased deaths of the birds, and the Jeollanam-do Animal Hygiene Laboratory confirmed it as H5 avian influenza after a detailed examination.
Jeollanam-do sent two initial quarantine team members from the Livestock Hygiene and Prevention Support Headquarters immediately upon receiving the suspicious animal report on the 24th, and took quarantine measures such as controlling access to and disinfecting the farm. In addition, a site support officer was dispatched to investigate the surrounding environment and analyze the cause.
To prevent further spread, they preemptively culled the poultry on the farm at the stage where H5 was detected. Additionally, they set a quarantine area within a 10km radius of the farm, imposed movement restrictions, and conducted disinfection, while also undertaking a thorough investigation of poultry farms in the quarantine area, and initiated the purchase and culling of native chickens.
Poultry and duck farms and related facilities were required to carry out comprehensive disinfection during a 24-hour temporary movement stop until 10 PM on the 25th. Nine disinfection vehicles are being deployed in the Yeongam quarantine area for extensive disinfection.
Jeollanam-do organized 28 on-site inspection teams (provincial and municipal/county) during the special high-pathogenic AI quarantine period to inspect 399 places including poultry farms and livestock-related facilities, and they have been establishing and continuously pursuing separate inspection plans according to the occurrence situation.
Furthermore, 22 municipal/county quarantine facilities are being operated to ensure that livestock vehicles are thoroughly disinfected and carry a disinfection certificate when entering farms. All 150 disinfection vehicles in the province are being mobilized to strengthen disinfection of farms and migratory bird habitats.
Jeong Gwang-hyun, head of the Jeollanam-do Agricultural and Livestock Food Bureau, said, “We will mobilize all available administrative power to block further spread,” urging compliance with AI quarantine measures not only in large-scale poultry farms but also in small-scale poultry breeding farms.