Highly Pathogenic AI Spreading Nationwide... Government to Conduct Nationwide Disinfection Immediately After Holidays

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has designated the 15th, immediately after the Lunar New Year holiday, as the 'National Simultaneous Disinfection Day' and will conduct simultaneous cleaning and disinfection of livestock farms, livestock facilities, and livestock vehicles. This is to respond to the large-scale movement of people and vehicles right after the Lunar New Year holiday.

On the 14th, the Ministry announced that it will actively guide and promote participation in the simultaneous disinfection at livestock farms and facilities, and inspect the implementation status to enhance the effectiveness of the operation of the Simultaneous Disinfection Day. The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency will send text messages simultaneously to nationwide livestock farms (192,000 households), livestock facilities (8,700 locations), and livestock-related vehicles (6,100 units), while producer organizations will use SNS and other means to promote the disinfection plan in advance.

Livestock farms and facilities will use their own disinfection equipment to perform internal and external cleaning and disinfection, and livestock vehicles will visit nearby key disinfection facilities or be cleaned and disinfected by their affiliated companies. In addition, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency will form inspection teams (30 teams, 60 people) to check and inspect whether disinfection is carried out on the day at slaughterhouses, feed factories, and other livestock facilities.

Local governments, the NongHyup (National Agricultural Cooperative Federation), and military units will mobilize about 1,140 disinfection vehicles, including quarantine vehicles and military disinfection vehicles, to focus disinfection efforts around livestock farms, roads, migratory bird habitats, and areas where African swine fever has occurred in wild boars.

An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs stated that they will concentrate all capabilities to remove viruses in the environment around farms through comprehensive disinfection activities in cooperation with local governments, NongHyup, and military units.

Meanwhile, as of 10 a.m. on the 14th, a total of 91 cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) were confirmed at poultry farms nationwide, and 184 cases were confirmed in wild birds.

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