24-hour Standstill Order Issued
Targeted Testing Within 10 km Quarantine Zone
On the 26th, an H5-type avian influenza (AI) antigen was detected at a meat duck farm in Yongbang-myeon, Gurye. Provided by Jeonnam Province.
On the 26th, Jeonnam Province announced that an H5 avian influenza (AI) antigen had been detected at a meat duck farm in Yongbang-myeon, Gurye, and that it had immediately carried out initial quarantine measures and culling of livestock, while issuing a 24-hour standstill order.
The farm is raising approximately 9,000 meat ducks, and the H5 avian influenza antigen was detected during surveillance testing within the quarantine zone. The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency is currently conducting detailed tests to determine whether it is a highly pathogenic strain, and the results are expected to come out within 1 to 3 days.
Immediately after the antigen was detected, Jeonnam Province deployed two members of the initial quarantine team from the Livestock Sanitation and Quarantine Support Headquarters to control access to the farm and complete the culling of livestock. Two provincial on-site support officers were also dispatched and are conducting an in-depth investigation into the cause of the outbreak.
To prevent further spread, detailed testing is being conducted on poultry farms within a 10 km radius quarantine zone around the affected farm. Intensive disinfection is underway using all available disinfection resources on nearby small streams, roads near reservoirs, and access roads to poultry farms.
In addition, to enable early detection of infected birds, detailed testing and quarantine inspections are being carried out in parallel at all farms belonging to the same affiliated company as the affected farm.
Jeonnam Province has issued a 24-hour standstill order, in effect until 12:00 p.m. on the 27th, for the affiliated company involved in the outbreak, local duck farms, related livestock facilities such as slaughterhouses and feed factories, and livestock vehicles. The province is conducting simultaneous disinfection at poultry farms and livestock-related facilities and is checking whether the order is being complied with.
Lee Youngnam, head of the Animal Quarantine Division at Jeonnam Province, said, "Highly pathogenic avian influenza is occurring sporadically regardless of region, and the situation is very serious," adding, "It is most important to completely block any sources of contamination that could enter farms." He continued, "Please strictly observe the basic quarantine rules, such as controlling access to farms, using anterooms in livestock sheds, and disinfecting more than twice a day."
As of today, a total of 49 cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza have occurred nationwide, including 9 cases in Jeonnam, reported in Naju, Yeongam, Gokseong, and Gurye.
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