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The same migratory flyway that is funneling avian H5N6 to South Korea, Japan, and points south also passes over Taiwan, which is the over-wintering home for thousands of migratory birds.
In early 2015, shortly after H5N8 jumped from South Korea to Japan, it made its way to Taiwan. Very quickly it reassorted into several new subtypes (H5N2, H5N3, etc.) and they have plagued their poultry industry since then.
Given their past experiences, and the very real possibility that H5N6 could one day arrive on their shores, Taiwan's COA (Council of Agriculture) takes surveillance for all types of avian flu very seriously.
Today Taiwan’s BAPHIQ (Bureau of Animal Plant Health Inspection & Quarantine) has announced the detection of several LPAI avian viruses in environment samples (bird feces) collected from local wetlands.
While not as concerning as HPAI H5N6, these low path viruses are nonetheless a potential threat to their poultry industry, and could conceivably provide additional genetic building blocks for the creation of new viral reassortants.
The machine translation is a by syntax challenged, but the gist is LPAI viruses (H5N3, H7N7 and H7N8) have been detected in samples taken from four wetlands around Yilan and Tainan.
LPAI viruses are quite common in wild birds, cause little illness, and only rarely death. They are not considered to be a serious health to public health. The concern is (particularly with H5 & H7 strains) that LPAI viruses have the potential to mutate into HPAI strains, and so they are watched carefully.
Local poultry operations are being advised to increase their biosecurity measures.
Enhanced monitoring of low pathogenic H5 and H7 subtype avian influenza virus in wetlands of Yilan and ducks in Tainan four wetlands
Administrative hospital agricultural Committee flora and fauna epidemic prevention quarantine Council (referred to anti-check Council) this (2) day said, administrative hospital agricultural Committee livestock health test by (referred to livestock Wei by)Yesterday (1) day notification, Yu Tainan four grass wetland collection duck section migratory birds row left sample, check out H7N7 Asia type and the H5N3 Asia type two strains avian influenza virus, another Yu Ilan Shi wet to collection duck section row left is separation to H7N7 Asia type and the H7N8 Asia type two strains avian influenza virus,Day initiated by the local animal epidemic prevention authorities wetland sampling and disinfection and epidemic prevention measures and inspections of poultry farms around visit, now epidemic prevention organs in accordance with procedure 1 a month implementation to strengthen the monitoring of mining inspection frequency for 3 months, after making sure that no virus response, before lifting the wetlands regional monitoring measures.Analysis of animal health in the detection of viruses, none highly pathogenic characteristics. The 104 years, the Bureau said in the waiting list for (wild) bird inspection examination of 15 cases of H5 and H7 subtypes of avian influenza, (105) 10 pieces were detected so far.Global warming trend in the bird flu outbreak, called on the poultry industry must implement poultry farm biosecurity, strengthen avian influenzaAnti-check Council stressed, recently Europe, and Asia more country gradually occurred avian influenza outbreak, outbreak sharply warming, Taiwan bit at migratory birds North must pass through, occurred avian influenza risk high, near national Korea, and Japan also Yu recently poultry field also occurred high disease original sex case, value avian influenza good sent season, calls for industry who do not lightly,
Please immediately strengthening birdhouse anti-bird facilities, avoid poultry and waiting (wild) bird contact, and match access tube ban, and personnel, and vehicles, and devices access disinfection, job, only has soft, and Hardware biosecurity synchronous lifting can be effective in preventing flu and the spread of the virus, the Council also called on the industry to avoid visiting the area poultry farm visits, nor invite the practitioners on domestic poultry farms of area visits together to prevent disease invasion.
