Gyeonggi-do Implements High-Intensity Response to Disaster-Type Livestock Epidemics Including Avian Influenza

Disinfection work

Gyeonggi Province will intensify its response to disaster-type livestock infectious diseases such as Avian Influenza (AI) from October this year to February next year.

First, to prevent the inflow of Avian Influenza into farms, Gyeonggi Province will monitor livestock vehicle control zones in migratory bird habitats (18 sections, 83 points), conduct intensive disinfection of roads and poultry farms around migratory bird habitats, and expand livestock vehicle washing and disinfection facilities from 27 to 35 locations.

Additionally, starting October 1, 18 quarantine rules will be implemented, including banning livestock vehicles and workers from entering migratory bird habitats, prohibiting the distribution of live poultry in traditional markets, cleaning and disinfecting rice hull spreaders at duck farms, and operating separate passageways.

In particular, control posts will be installed at 40 vulnerable layer farms to strengthen vehicle and visitor access management. Continuous surveillance and quarantine inspections will be reinforced in the densely populated layer farming complex in Pocheon and seven AI intensive management cities/counties (Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek, Gimpo, Icheon, Anseong, Pocheon, Yeoju). Compensation for business suspension will also be provided for duck farms restricted from raising due to high outbreak risk.

Regarding African Swine Fever (ASF), special management will be conducted during the special quarantine period, focusing on farms in high-risk areas such as those with farm outbreaks and wild boar detections, including compliance checks with quarantine rules and clinical surveillance.

To prevent wild boar intrusion during the autumn harvest season and winter, disinfection will be intensified around farms and major roads using wide-area sprayers and detox vehicles. Promotion through banners and text messages will encourage avoiding hiking in ASF outbreak areas.

Especially, September 27 and October 4, before and after the Chuseok holiday, will be designated as nationwide disinfection days to disinfect livestock-related facilities such as pig farms and slaughterhouses.

For foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) prevention, from October 4 to 18, a two-week mass vaccination will be conducted targeting cattle, goats, and other cloven-hoofed livestock farms. Quarantine inspections at vulnerable farms will be strengthened, and farms with low antibody positivity rates or poor vaccination management will be fined and subject to additional vaccinations and guidance inspections.

To block the transmission of the FMD virus between farms, movement of cattle and pig manure outside designated zones will be restricted proactively from November this year to February next year.

Kim Jong-hoon, Director of the Livestock Animal Welfare Bureau of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "Winter is a period when virus survival is prolonged and migratory birds enter, greatly increasing the risk of disaster-type livestock infectious disease viruses entering farms," and urged active cooperation from farms, related industries, and residents to ensure strong quarantine activities.

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