Bac Giang After Announcing Avian Influenza Outbreak:
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Culling poultry in Van Trung commune, Bac Giang (photo taken on November 4) |
Immediately after Bac Giang province announced the avian influenza outbreak in three communes (Tuổi Trẻ, November 4), efforts to prevent the spread of the disease in these areas intensified.
Checkpoints are being established in the outbreak zones, disinfectants are being sprayed, and lime powder is being spread on the roads…
Bac Giang province has directed the immediate culling of all chickens, ducks, and geese in the three affected communes: Van Trung, Tang Tien (Viet Yen district), and Yen Lu (Yen Duong district).
The remaining villages, communes, wards, and towns in the two districts and Bac Giang city must strengthen disease management and monitoring. Upon discovering any outbreaks or suspected cases of avian influenza, they must immediately cull the poultry of the affected household and neighboring households; accurately assess the total number of poultry currently owned by households for management; prohibit the buying, selling, slaughtering, and movement of poultry, requiring them to be kept at home; and cull all freely roaming poultry in fields, streets, and public places.
Maintain 24/7 operations at checkpoints at all entrances and exits to the two districts and Bac Giang city, carry out confiscations, culling, and impose heavy penalties on those transporting poultry and poultry products in and out of the area; strictly prohibit slaughtering, using waterfowl, and waterfowl products, and limit the use of chicken meat and eggs to protect public health; organize thorough cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization at all households and public places.
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Transporting ducks for culling (photo taken on November 4 in Van Trung commune, Viet Yen, Bac Giang) |
In particular, all livestock pens, village roads, and entrances to households must be treated with lime powder every five days in sunny weather and every two days in rainy weather. Disinfection is carried out every two days in affected villages and every three days in neighboring villages. Localities are also preparing specific plans regarding locations, equipment, materials, and personnel for culling poultry in the event of an outbreak. Relevant authorities are closely monitoring the health situation of the population to quickly detect and address any disease cases.
Bac Giang province has also directed the remaining districts that discover avian influenza or suspected cases to implement the same measures as those directed in the three affected areas. Departments, branches, and sectors in the province are establishing an emergency response committee for avian influenza and human influenza; simultaneously, non-essential tasks are being temporarily suspended to focus all resources and efforts on this work.
As of the afternoon of November 4, the avian influenza outbreak has been contained in the areas where it occurred, with no further cases reported. According to the Bac Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in addition to area quarantines and preventive measures, the province has received an additional 1 million doses of vaccine and is implementing avian influenza vaccinations, starting with poultry in Viet Yen and Yen Duong districts, followed by other localities in the province.
Directing the outbreak control efforts in Tang Tien and Van Trung communes, Mr. Nguyen Van Kiệm – Vice Chairman of the Viet Yen District People’s Committee and head of the district’s avian influenza prevention committee, stated that the district has proposed 10 urgent measures to combat avian influenza in the area and has sent these directives to the communes.
Accordingly, all poultry in the outbreak areas will be culled immediately, with a deadline of November 5 to cull all waterfowl younger than five months across the district. Alongside the culling, quarantine checkpoints will be established in all 19 communes and towns of the district. Specifically, in addition to the existing 21 veterinary staff, the district has received support from the local Agricultural and Forestry College with 200 personnel and students to bolster the outbreak response. The district has also prepared sufficient stocks of medicines, lime powder, and 2,000 protective suits to deal with the avian influenza outbreak.
