Fourth Case of Avian Influenza Detected at Cheonan Layer Farm... "All-Out Efforts to Prevent Spread"

Verification of Pathogenicity Underway...
Movement Ban and Culling Planned

A Chungnam Province official is conducting avian influenza quarantine activities. (Provided by Chungnam Province)

The fourth case of avian influenza has occurred at a layer chicken farm in Cheonan, Chungnam Province, prompting the provincial government to launch emergency quarantine measures.

According to the provincial authorities on the 4th, a report was received at around 6 p.m. the previous day from a farm in Seongnam-myeon, Cheonan, regarding a sudden increase in the mortality rate of layer chickens. A detailed inspection confirmed the presence of the H5 antigen.

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency is currently verifying whether the virus is highly pathogenic, with final results expected to be announced around 6 p.m. on the 4th.

This outbreak of avian influenza comes just ten days after the previous case at a layer chicken farm in Yongjeong-ri, Pungse-myeon, Cheonan, on the 25th of last month. The affected farm is located approximately 7 kilometers from the outbreak site in Sojeong-myeon, Sejong.

To prevent further spread, the provincial government has issued a temporary movement ban for all layer chicken farms and related businesses in the province. In addition, culling of layer chickens will be carried out using the rendering method to prevent environmental contamination in the surrounding area.

The authorities have also designated a 10-kilometer quarantine zone around the affected farm and will conduct detailed inspections of 28 poultry farms and 11 related facilities within the zone to check for additional spread.

Lee Jeongsam, head of the Provincial Agriculture and Livestock Bureau, stated, "We are focusing our administrative efforts to prevent further spread," and urged, "We ask that farms actively cooperate with quarantine measures."