'Stop the spread of AI'... 'Tension' at Ongchon duck farm in Jeonnam as quarantine begins

(Yeongam=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Hye-in = "You cannot enter." On the 9th, a broiler duck farm in Yeongam County, South Jeolla Province, was gripped by tension following the detection of avian influenza (AI) antigens. A "No Entry" sign was erected 100 meters in front of the farm, and quarantine officials, armed with white protective suits and gloves and boots, strictly controlled the entry of the general public. At the entrance of the farm, cargo trucks were setting up containers to be used as an initial response command center, marking the start of a full-scale response. On the surrounding roads, disinfection vehicles were continuously spraying disinfectant, emitting white smoke. Quarantine personnel were busy stopping vehicles entering the farm, checking barns, and moving quickly in and out of the farm. As lunchtime approached, a food distribution vehicle arrived, but the staff, focused on their duties, blocked its entry, showing their dedication. In the event of a highly pathogenic AI outbreak, all poultry must test negative in a thorough inspection before being shipped. In this particular case, H5 type AI antigens were detected in a pre-shipment inspection, and in accordance with quarantine guidelines, all 20,000 ducks being raised on the farm were culled. If the detected antigen is ultimately confirmed as highly pathogenic, not only the affected farm but also approximately 168,000 poultry in chicken and duck farms within a 500-meter radius will be subject to preventive culling. Quarantine authorities are disinfecting the entrance to the farm and have designated a 10-kilometer radius as a quarantine area, implementing quarantine measures equivalent to those for highly pathogenic AI. Moreover, a 24-hour movement ban has been issued for all duck farms and related livestock facilities and vehicles nationwide. Meanwhile, as winter approaches and bird migration increases, the number of AI cases is also on the rise. As of the day in question, the total number of AI outbreaks nationwide was 7 in poultry farms and 14 in wild birds. An official from Yeongam County said, "As it is a period of high bird migration, local residents and farmers will join forces to do their best to prevent the spread of AI."