In Gyeonggi-do, bird flu and swine fever occur one after the other… Laying chicken and pig farms in ‘crisis’

Since the beginning of the new year, bird flu (AI) and African Swine Fever (ASF) have occurred one after the other in cities and counties in Gyeonggi Province, putting a crisis in the neighboring provincial and local governments.

According to the province on the 8th, the H5 AI type antigen was detected at a laying hen farm in Seo-gu, Ilsan, Goyang the day before. As a result, the quarantine authorities killed around 78,000 chickens raised on the farm.

Goyang City installed a control post at the entrance of the AI-prone farm to block entry by outsiders and began an epidemiological investigation. In addition, around 874 chickens, including chickens in 31 places that raise chickens or ducks within a 3 km radius of the farm, will be slaughtered preventively by the 9th, and livestock quarantine vehicles are used.

Previously, on the 2nd, the same antigen was detected in laying hen farms in Haseong-myeon, Gimpo-si and Gunnam-myeon, Yeoncheon-gun, and culled 220,000 chickens in two places, including the farm house where the outbreak occurred and within 500m of the farmhouse, and two emergency quarantine posts were placed to prevent further spread.

In this situation, ASF was detected for the first time this year in 6 out of 20 pigs while carrying out inspections to kill pigs being raised on a pig farm in Gwanin-myeon, Pocheon-si at 11 am on the 6th.

As a result, approximately 8,000 pigs that were reared in the farmhouse were culled, and the slaughter of approximately 800 pigs that were due to be slaughtered on the same day was postponed.

The livestock quarantine authorities issued a temporary suspension order until 12:00 noon on the 8th to 10 cities and counties in northern Gyeonggi Province and pig farms in Incheon.

A provincial official said, “ASF was confirmed during the pre-slaughter inspection.”

One farm within a 500m radius of the ASF affected farm in Pocheon is known to rear 1,200 pigs, three farms within 3km rear 11,400 pigs, and 52 farms within 10km rear 101,000 pigs.

This is the first time ASF has occurred in the province since two cases occurred on two farms in Gimpo and Paju in September last year. Before that, nine cases occurred in Paju City, Yeoncheon County, and Gimpo City between September and October 2019.

As a result of this incident, the number of ASF cases in the province increased to 12. This is the first time that ASF has occurred in Pocheon.

The government acted quickly to remedy the situation. Prime Minister Han Deok-soo ordered the ministers of related ministries to take rapid quarantine measures.

Prime Minister Han said, “In close cooperation with relevant organizations such as local governments, make sure to do everything possible for initial quarantine, such as killing farms where cases occurred in accordance with emergency action guidelines and issuing temporary restraining orders .”

“Expand rapidly and add to the fences installed in Gyeonggi-do and surrounding areas, and carry out intensive search and capture activities for carcasses,” he said.

In addition, he added, “Recently, highly pathogenic AI continues to occur.”

[ 경기신문 = 김기웅 기자 ]