Gangwon-do Announces 'Highly Pathogenic AI Special Quarantine Measures'

AI Outbreak Preemptive Blocking, Farm Inflow Prevention, and Strengthened Management of Migratory Bird Habitats

Highly Pathogenic AI Outbreak Status [Provided by Gangwon Province]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] As the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) outbreaks reaches its peak at poultry farms nationwide, Gangwon Province has prepared a special 'AI quarantine' plan.

The province announced on the 18th, "To maintain its status as the only local government nationwide without AI outbreaks until the end of AI, Gangwon Province has newly established and is implementing four types of AI quarantine measures in addition to the government's quarantine measures."

To prevent AI outbreaks in advance, the province plans to purchase and cull small-scale farms with difficult quarantine management within a 1 km radius of nine laying hen farms with more than 100,000 birds located in nine cities and counties (Wonju 3, Hoengseong 3, Hongcheon, Samcheok 2).

For duck farms (2 locations) with a high risk of outbreaks, new breeding restrictions will be applied.

To prevent farm infiltration, quarantine posts will be urgently installed at six laying hen farms in Cheorwon County, and the installation of quarantine posts will be expanded to poultry farms in Wonju, Hoengseong, and other areas.

For egg-producing farms in high-risk cities and counties (Chuncheon 8, Wonju 14, Hoengseong 8, Cheorwon 6), the province has designated dedicated officers (13 from the Animal Quarantine Division) to directly inspect quarantine status three times a week.

Additionally, egg-producing poultry farms will undergo thorough inspections every two weeks until the end of March, while other poultry farms and livestock-related facilities will be disinfected three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). The governor will also send letters to encourage quarantine efforts.

Movement restrictions for poultry farms within a 10 km radius of five cities and counties where wild bird AI antigens were detected (Yangyang 2, Wonju 4, Chuncheon 3, Yeongwol, Cheorwon 22) will be enforced for 21 days, alongside emergency inspections (clinical surveillance, thorough testing) and intensive disinfection.

Fishing and walking will be prohibited at 10 migratory bird habitats (Hantan River, Togyo Reservoir, Cheorwon Plain, Gangneung Namdaecheon, Yangyang Namdaecheon, Wonju Stream, Soyang River downstream, Seom River, Gyeongpo Lake, Cheongcho Lake), and daily disinfection will be conducted using wide-area spraying aircraft, quarantine vehicles, and drones.

Governor Choi Moon-soon stated, "So far, Gangwon Province has been the only region nationwide to maintain a status free of AI outbreaks," and urged, "All poultry farms in the province should maintain vigilance and thoroughly implement blocking quarantine measures until AI is eradicated nationwide."

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