Intensive Discussion on Cooperation Measures Among Disease Control, Quarantine, and Related Ministries
One Health-Based Response Linking Humans, Animals, and the Environment
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency announced on June 5 that, on June 4, they held the "2025 1st Zoonotic Infectious Disease Countermeasure Committee" together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, other related ministries, and private sector experts to review the response system for zoonotic infectious diseases and discuss cooperation measures.
Jiyoungmi, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, is speaking at the "2025 1st Zoonotic Infectious Disease Countermeasure Committee" meeting held on the 4th. Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency
The committee has been jointly operated by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency since 2004, and has established itself as an inter-ministerial cooperation system to prevent the spread of zoonotic infectious diseases between humans and animals.
At the meeting, there was a focused discussion on "avian influenza human infection," considering the recent confirmation of highly pathogenic avian influenza infections not only in poultry and wild birds but also in mammals (wild leopard cats), and the fact that human infection cases have been reported overseas.
Domestically, from last year until now, there have been 43 confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds and 47 cases reported at poultry farms. Internationally, since the first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza infection at a dairy farm in the United States in March last year, there have been ongoing outbreaks at 1,065 farms in 17 states. In March this year, a case of infection in sheep was reported in Yorkshire, United Kingdom, and in April, a three-year-old girl died from human infection in Mexico.
The committee especially invited animal influenza experts to share detailed information regarding interspecies transmission cases of influenza involving companion animals, which have frequent contact with humans. The committee reviewed the response status to highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds and the results of responses to human infections, and discussed corresponding response and cooperation measures in depth.
In addition to avian influenza, the current status of zoonotic tuberculosis, surveillance of zoonotic diseases in marine mammals, the 2025 zoonotic infectious disease surveillance plan, and domestic and international avian influenza outbreak trends were also shared as key policy updates.
Commissioner Jee Youngmee stated, "This committee meeting confirmed that the threat of zoonotic infectious diseases, as seen in interspecies transmission cases between humans and animals, is no longer just a potential threat but a real challenge that requires preparedness and response." She added, "Because responding to zoonotic infectious diseases requires a 'One Health' approach that considers humans, animals, and the environment together, we will further strengthen surveillance, prevention, and response systems in cooperation with relevant agencies."
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