67 Poultry Farms Caught for Inadequate Avian Influenza Prevention Measures... Complaints and Fines Imposed

11 Cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Poultry This Fall

Many Similar Biosecurity Weaknesses Found, Including Inadequate Use of Dedicated Clothing and Disinfection

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 14th that it found 95 cases of inadequate quarantine measures at 67 locations during an inspection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) prevention measures at 604 poultry farms nationwide from the 12th of last month to the 9th of this month.

Violations included failure to wear dedicated clothing and shoes when entering farms, insufficient disinfection of vehicles and people entering the farm, lack of an anteroom (a quarantine facility that prevents virus infiltration into the livestock barn), or absence of wildlife exclusion nets. There were also cases of administrative order violations regarding access control, such as egg transport vehicles entering complexes densely populated with laying hens.

Similar quarantine vulnerabilities were found at poultry farms where highly pathogenic AI was recently confirmed. As of this day, there have been 11 confirmed cases of highly pathogenic AI in poultry this fall.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plans to continue thorough on-site inspections of poultry farms to prevent recurrence of such cases and to prevent highly pathogenic AI. If violations of quarantine rules are detected, the relevant local governments will be notified to impose administrative measures such as prosecution, fines, and orders for maintenance or repair in accordance with the "Livestock Infectious Disease Prevention Act."

Park Jeonghun, Director of the Quarantine Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, urged, "December and January are critical periods when highly pathogenic AI frequently occurs. Please strictly adhere to the four-step farm disinfection guidelines."

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