【News from New Taipei City】 Avian Influenza often occurs in autumn and winter. Currently, highly pathogenic avian influenza successively occurred at 63 sites in the country. Although no avian influenza has been found in New Taipei City, the Municipality has never stopped prevention of avian influenza virus. To prevent virus infection, New Taipei City Government Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office had already completed 31 expanded patrol and disinfection sessions at poultry farms before October 31st, sampling birds, ducks, geese and chickens at pet bird store, poultry farms and poultry transportation center, totally 332 cases, to ensure the avian influenza prevention work.

With respect to the epidemic of avian influenza in Asia, following the epidemic of African swine fever in north of South Korea this week, an avian influenza suspected case was found in Gimcheon City located 230km south to Seoul in North Gyeongsang Province last month. This has put both the north and south of South Korea into the animal epidemic risk. The Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office has therefore cautiously implemented high-level epidemic prevention works, including dispatching personnel to counsel farmers to disinfect the sites and conduct prevention works on a regularly basis; checking if the fences of poultry farm are well established; reminding farmers to immediately repair any damaged fence as wild birds can penetrate the site and eat the feed; educating farmers to patrol the poultry farm and check the health status of poultry on a daily basis; ensuring that the farmers will proactively report on any abnormal status of their poultry for the immediate support of Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office.

Huang Jing-De from a poultry farm in Xizhi District said that this wave of epidemic truly made people feel uncomfortable. He heard about the strict conditions of poultry farms in central and southern Taiwan, where around 800,000 of poultry were killed. As these chicken are his assets and all of the chicken will be died if any of them is infected, he therefore pays great attention to the poultry farm every day, such as increasing the number of disinfection and ensuring the fences are probably established, with the fear that his chicken will become sick. The doctors of Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office ever visited his poultry farm at the end of October and, according to on-site clinical examination, his chickens are found healthy. The doctors also collected and submitted 60 blood and throat/ anal swab samples to the laboratory of Epidemic Examination Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University. The examination results were negative.

Director of Agriculture Department Li Wen expressed that, to ensure the health and safety of people of the nation, Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office not only enhanced avian influenza prevention and disinfection works, fortified fence constructions and fully implemented biosecurity measures within its territories, but also educated citizens not to have contact with nor feed wild doves while conducting weekly advanced disinfection works at sites of where wild doves gather. It is therefore suggested that all citizens should identify the “certification of passing the slaughter hygiene inspection” logo when consuming meats; and wash hands to maintain the cleanliness of their home. This can help to prevent avian influenza before the happening thereof.

For detailed information, please contact: Secretary of Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office (Agriculture Department, New Taipei City) Chou Jing-Chun

Telephone: 0921214614