[Hampyeong=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Hampyeong-gun, Jeollanam-do, has launched special quarantine measures after a highly pathogenic AI virus was detected in wild bird droppings at the Cheolsae Dolaeji Haebomyeon Gomakwoncheon.
In particular, following the confirmation of highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) in Naju recently after Yeongam, preemptive measures have been taken by mobilizing all available resources such as drones.
According to Hampyeong-gun on the 10th, the highly pathogenic AI that started in Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do on the 28th of last month spread to Yeongam, Jeollanam-do on the 5th and then to Naju the day before yesterday afternoon.
This is the first occurrence of highly pathogenic AI in the Jeollanam-do region in three years since 2017, raising concerns about the spread of infection throughout Jeollanam-do.
Hampyeong-gun is urgently disinfecting around Gomakwoncheon and controlling access of people and vehicles by installing control posts in accordance with Jeollanam-do's quarantine guidelines.
Additionally, a special quarantine zone has been established within a 10 km radius, and movement restrictions on poultry raised in the area have been imposed until the 22nd of this month.
So far, clinical surveillance tests conducted on 36 farms within the quarantine area have all returned negative results.
Considering the nationwide spread of AI, the county plans to expand the number of control posts at poultry farms and key disinfection facilities from the current 9 to 19.
Using wide-area spraying machines and drones, daily focused disinfection will be carried out at migratory bird habitats and farm entrances, and on-site quarantine guidance will be further strengthened through the operation of joint quarantine teams and emergency duty by public officials.
In particular, through an emergency administrative order, the county has completely banned the distribution of live chicks and ducks in traditional markets until the end of February next year and prohibited free-range farming for all local poultry farms.
Each farm has also been requested to maintain netting around livestock sheds to block access by wild birds.
Since the exact cause of AI outbreaks has not been clearly identified, the plan is to fundamentally block the introduction of the virus into farms via migratory birds.
Going forward, the county will encourage thorough implementation of quarantine measures through frequent inspections of poultry farms, and if any negligence such as inadequate quarantine facilities is found during inspections, follow-up actions including fines and criminal charges will be promptly taken in accordance with the Livestock Infectious Disease Control Act.
Lee Sang-ik, Mayor of Hampyeong-gun, said, “Although there have been no suspected reports or cases showing abnormal symptoms of highly pathogenic AI in the region so far, the rapid nationwide spread means we cannot let our guard down. We will strengthen AI blocking quarantine by mobilizing all available resources, and we ask each farm to immediately report any suspected AI symptoms to the county office.”
Meanwhile, currently, Hampyeong-gun is raising 5,939 poultry across 162 farms.
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