Haenam-gun Maintains 'Clean Status' for 4 Consecutive Years Against AI and Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreaks

End of Special Quarantine Measures Period, Continued Quarantine Measures Until Nationwide Lift

Haenam County has been conducting daily disinfection of farms using a joint pest control team and implementing quarantine measures at poultry farms and migratory bird habitats with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries through water spraying trucks, wide-area pest control machines, and drones. (Photo by Haenam County)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Hyun] Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, ended the special AI and foot-and-mouth disease quarantine measures on the 28th of last month, successfully maintaining its status as a clean area for the fourth consecutive year.

According to Haenam-gun on the 7th, while 20 cases of highly pathogenic AI occurred in 9 cities and counties in Jeollanam-do and 340 cases nationwide since October last year, Haenam-gun achieved the result of not having a single case of AI or foot-and-mouth disease through proactive quarantine measures and cooperation from livestock farms.

During the special quarantine period, Haenam-gun carried out proactive prevention activities such as operating control posts at migratory bird habitats and farms, and managing restricted access zones within migratory bird habitats. Additionally, they conducted thorough disinfection of farms daily using joint prevention teams, and implemented watertight quarantine measures at poultry farms and migratory bird habitats by deploying water spraying trucks, wide-area disinfectors, and drones supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

However, to prevent additional outbreaks caused by residual viruses, enhanced quarantine measures for vulnerable factors will continue to be enforced as before until the nationwide quarantine areas are lifted on the 14th.

The enhanced quarantine measures include 13 administrative orders such as prohibiting livestock vehicles and workers from entering migratory bird habitats, disinfecting at key disinfection facilities before livestock vehicles visit farms and facilities, banning egg vehicles from entering farms, prohibiting free-range poultry farming, and banning non-livestock vehicles from entering farms.

Recently, highly pathogenic AI occurred in Naju and Jangheung, and there is still a risk as avian influenza has intermittently occurred until June in the past due to cyclical infections in traditional markets.

Currently, 46 quarantine areas are being operated nationwide, and the lifting of nationwide quarantine areas can only occur 30 days after the completion of culling and disinfection at the last affected poultry farm.

Mayor Myeong Hyun-gwan said, “The reason we have been able to maintain a clean Haenam without AI outbreaks for four consecutive years is thanks to the efforts of livestock organizations and farmers who cooperated 24 hours a day without distinction between day and night,” and urged, “Please continue to comply with quarantine rules and disinfect farms with vigilance until AI is officially declared eradicated.”

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