Taiwan boosts measures to prevent avian flu spread
By Wu Po-hsuan, Chou Ming-hung and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporters, with staff writer
Taiwan has implemented enhanced measures to prevent an outbreak of the H5N1 virus strain ahead of an expected avian flu spike in winter, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency said yesterday, as officials in Taoyuan worked to contain the first incident detected on Taiwan proper since 2018.
Patterns in global epidemic data, the combined effects of temperature variances and distress from overcrowded pens on poultry health, and virus-carrying migratory birds suggest a higher risk of a surge in avian flu this winter, the agency said in a news release.
Enhanced H5N1 prevention mechanisms have been instituted, consisting of biosecurity standard compliance inspections, surveillance of poultry farms and tracking migratory bird movements, it said.
Personnel from the Taoyuan Department of Agriculture cull poultry at a farm in Dayuan District yesterday.
Photo courtesy of the Taoyuan Department of Agriculture
The measures, implemented at the beginning of this month, would remain in effect until the end of March next year, it said.
The agency is engaged in itemizing inventories, disseminating information and training foreign workers in the poultry industry as part of preparatory work for the main effort, it said.
Officials are additionally identifying potential infection hot zones and monitoring domesticated birds with high susceptibility to the virus, including quails, egg-laying hens and free-range chickens, it said.
The measures include increasing the frequency of inspections, migratory bird movement alerts, sterilization of potential infection hot zones, and working with industry associations to facilitate monitoring and sanitizing of facilities at private farms, it said.
The Animal Disease Prevention and Prevention Act (動物傳染病防治條例) requires poultry farms to conduct daily health inspections and promptly report abnormalities to the authorities, it said.
A sudden rise in deaths among the fowls or a notable drop in their appetite are signs of avian flu and should be reported immediately, it said.
Failure to comply would result in a fine of up to NT$1 million (US$31,466) and disqualify the farm from government compensation for livestock for disease containment, the agency said.
The agency on Thursday completed the culling of 2,616 guinea fowl at a farm in Taoyuan’s Dayuan District (大園), a day after local authorities reported a confirmed case of H5N1.
It also restricted access to the farm and roads in the area, which have been sterilized.
The affected farm had reported suspicious deaths of its stock on Wednesday, prompting a government response, the agency said.
The agency is inspecting poultry farms within a 3km radius of the affected farm and has not found any evidence of an outbreak, it said.
The incident marked the first H5N1 case in Taiwan proper since 2018, the agency said.
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