South Korea: Changyeong Finds H5 Virus In Wild Bird Feces

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Less than a week ago, in MAFRA Warns: South Korea's Fall Migratory Bird Season Begins, we looked at what has become an annual ritual; the warning of the arrival of the first migratory birds of fall, and a reminder to poultry owners to enhance biosecurity going into the winter season.

As an important overwintering spot for migratory birds, and also home to a large poultry industry, South Korea does a good deal of environmental testing for signs of avian flu. 

Overnight South Korean media is reporting the discovery of H5 antigens in wild bird droppings collected near a reservoir in Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province. At this point, we don't know the subtype or whether this sample is highly pathogenic (HPAI) or low (LPAI).

In 2014 HPAI H5N8 arrived to South Korea via migratory birds from China, and sparked a major epizootic which burned through their poultry industry and claimed 15 million birds. Since then HPAI H5N8 has spread globally to North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

HPAI H5N8 has returned every year since, killing millions of birds,  but last year was largely supplanted by a new, reassorted, HPAI H5N6 virus.

Compared to the winter of 2016-17, last winter produced a relatively mild bird flu season for South Korea (and the rest of the world).  What we might have in store for this winter remains the $64 question.

Although I haven't found anything posted yet on South Korea's Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency website, we have a detailed (translated) report on the detection and immediate response from the South Gyeongsang government website.

Changyeong wild birds ( feces ) H5 type AI is detected , preventing spread corresponding public-private chongryeok

- gyeongnamdo , highly pathogenic AI preemptive response to the decision against the emergency measures

- changnyeong county long reservoir access control , 10km inside the poultry farmers movement restriction measures

Gyeongnamdo material is changnyeong county migratory doraeji ( long reservoir ) in the wild bird feces tests H5 type AI is a gene detection deuleogatdago emergency preventative measures seven said one .

This year full-scale migratory birds moving earlier wild bird feces initially last in the detected cases in 4 days a fecal sample from the test results of the Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock Quarantine Office collected from changnyeong county long reservoir H5 type is gene detection , and during the test for whether or not the current highly pathogenic final to determine from about 2-5 is expected to take a day. Emergency measures gyeongnamdo the public of the long pool with changnyeong county that while limiting access , the detection point radius of 10km an area of less than ' wild tide flow forecasting area , designated as breeding ago farmers (235 farmers 118 10 000 8 shoaling ) Go to poultry, such as conducting surveillance and emergency limit to breeding farms AI is focused policies that manage to prevent the spread .

In particular , pre-emptive to respond conducted in Japan checking on my poultry farms surveillance area by AI check the farmhouse quarantine situation with Check farmhouse influx of viruses , also it farms by birds through the dedicated public servants and Defense Support Division phone surveillance personnel by implementing the surveillance telephone every day for the farmer AI and determine whether the suspect axis occurs .

Turning migratory doraeji , in view of the past occurs when AI is the risk period 10 from January next year, 2 January up to a special quarantine measures Duration establish 24 operates time livestock quarantine control room , for the Tokyo main migratory doraeji a dedicated surveillance teams to strengthen surveillance activities and NACF joint control, and only when , pushing to expand the disinfection and sterilization military vehicles mobilized total .

Yijeonggon gyeongnamdo agricultural director , " even in migratory doraeji 9 where continuous surveillance to strengthen'm doing a sample survey of migratory birds doraeji around scaffolding sodokjo installation , to further enhance biosecurity in quicklime coating, etc. nagagetda " said , also " livestock in farms migratory doraeji refrain from visiting the farm and around the quicklime and applied as gihae give a thorough disinfection, such as biosecurity for external access vehicle AI If you find a suspicious symptoms immediately knocks urge to give report on livestock quarantine agency , " he said .

※ livestock disease reported only Phone : 1588-4060

We'll be watching for similar reports in the weeks to come from Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and even the Philippines as migratory birds mover further south for the winter.