Chungnam Designated as 'ASF Precision Diagnosis Institution'... Second Nationwide After Gyeonggi-do

The quarantine authorities are restricting access to farms affected by African Swine Fever and their surrounding areas. The photo is unrelated to the article. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The Chungnam Provincial Animal Hygiene Testing Laboratory has been designated as a precision diagnostic institution for African Swine Fever (hereinafter ASF).

According to the province on the 11th, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency designated the BL3 laboratory facility within the testing laboratory as a precision diagnostic institution for ASF. Currently, only Gyeonggi Province (No. 1) and Chungnam have been designated as precision diagnostic institutions for ASF nationwide.

With this designation, Chungnam can conduct its own diagnosis when suspected ASF cases occur in the region, and can directly carry out surveillance or quarantine measures such as testing wild boars, enabling initial response to outbreaks.

In particular, the testing laboratory was previously designated as a precision diagnostic institution for Foot-and-Mouth Disease in 2013 and Avian Influenza in 2015. With this ASF precision diagnostic institution designation, it can now independently diagnose all three major disaster livestock infectious diseases.

Earlier, to obtain the ASF precision diagnostic institution designation, the testing laboratory received approval this year from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency for changes to its Biosafety Level 3 (BL3) laboratory facilities and secured dedicated ASF diagnostic equipment.

Additionally, three specialized diagnostic personnel completed related training and conducted on-site inspections to enhance their expertise.

Kim Young-jin, director of the Chungnam Provincial Animal Hygiene Testing Laboratory, said, “Following the designations as precision diagnostic institutions for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Avian Influenza, receiving the ASF precision diagnostic institution designation means we can now independently diagnose all three major disaster livestock infectious diseases. We will secure personnel and diagnostic capabilities to proactively respond to the risk of ASF spread and strive to make Chungnam the nation's leading livestock quarantine institution.”

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