Preventive Culling for African Swine Fever Underway... Intensive Disinfection Focused on Hwacheon and Pocheon

"Please Follow Quarantine Rules Such as Hand Washing and Changing Boots"
Attention to Avian Influenza Prevention... Request to Refrain from Fishing and Other Access

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for African Swine Fever (ASF) announced on the 10th that ASF was confirmed at a farm subject to preventive culling located in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province, and rapid initial quarantine measures are being implemented.

A central epidemiological investigation team (4 members) has been deployed to quickly identify farms, livestock facilities, and vehicles epidemiologically related to the affected farm. The culling at the affected farm has been completed. Additionally, preventive culling is underway at two pig farms owned by the farm owner located in Pocheon City.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters plans to conduct intensive disinfection of roads, farms, and livestock facilities centered around Hwacheon and Pocheon by mobilizing all available resources such as wide-area pest control vehicles and disinfection cars from local governments and the NongHyup, as well as military decontamination vehicles, during the temporary movement suspension order extended until 5 a.m. on the 12th.

At the African Swine Fever situation meeting held on the 10th, Kim Hyun-soo, head of the Central Accident Response Headquarters (left), is speaking.

The headquarters is conducting detailed tests by collecting blood samples from pigs at 373 pig farms (excluding culled farms) in Gyeonggi, northern Gangwon, and 14 adjacent cities and counties, and has completed sample collection at 291 farms (78%) so far. All 163 farms that have completed testing have been confirmed negative (as of midnight on the 10th).

At the ASF situation meeting held the previous day, the headquarters decided to purchase pigs from farms within the wild boar quarantine zone (within a 10 km radius of positive cases) where local government heads judge a high risk of ASF occurrence among 175 pig farms and where farmers wish to sell their pigs.

Kim Hyunsoo, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said regarding ASF prevention, "Please ensure that farms apply sufficient slaked lime on farm entrances and access roads, wash hands and change boots before entering pig houses, and refrain from contact with sows, so that farms can comply with quarantine rules." He also urged not to neglect avian influenza prevention, saying, "As migratory birds are returning to migratory bird habitats in earnest, please refrain from entering these areas for fishing or other activities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.