Actively preventing avian influenza A/H5N8

– Facing the complicated developments of the influenza A/H5N8 – a highly virulent avian influenza virus strain in China, right from mid-May 2021, the relevant forces and sectors of the province have implemented many measures to prevent the spread of this virus strain.

Mr. Dinh Van Hung, Head of Market Management Team No. 3 – Standing member of Steering Committee 389 (anti-smuggling, commercial fraud and counterfeit) of Loc Binh district said: “To prevent new strains of virus from across the border through illegal poultry import, anti-smuggling forces in the district have set up mobile teams to check on roads where smugglers regularly transport poultry; set up barricades in “hot” areas for poultry gathering in the area.”

As a result, in March and April 2021, the forces prevented 9 cases of smuggled poultry, seized more than 37,000 birds. From May 2021 up to now, with the drastic intervention of the forces, the situation of transporting poultry across the border in Loc Binh district has been prevented.

Veterinarians took samples to monitor avian influenza at Gieng Vuong market

Not only the functional forces of Loc Binh district, recently, facing the complicated developments of the H5N8 avian influenza situation in China and some countries in the world, implementing the direction of the Provincial People’s Committee, the functional forces in the province have implemented many measures to prevent illegal poultry transportation across the border. Accordingly, from March 2021 to May 2021, the forces prevented 31 cases of transporting poultry, seized over 225,000 smuggled breeding birds and more than 17 cases of illegal import of poultry products, seized nearly 1.7 tons of poultry products.

Facing the “strong” measures of the authorities, from May 2021 to now, the illegal import of poultry has hardly happened. However, the forces has continued to patrol and block 24/24 to “prevent” from afar, with the determination of preventing the transport of smuggled poultry and poultry products into our inland; organized propaganda for people living in border area to understand the dangers of influenza A/H5N8 and some other strains of avian influenza; mobilized people to sign a commitment not to assist smuggled poultry across the border.

Not only the anti-smuggling force on the border, recently, the People’s Committees of the districts and city have directed the agricultural service centers to actively coordinate with the Provincial Sub-Department of Livestock and Animal Health to implement measures to control the disease.

Mr. Nguyen Nam Hung, Director of the Sub-Department of Livestock and Animal Health said: “The Sub-Department has actively coordinated with relevant units to closely monitor the poultry production as well as the poultry trade in the markets, to prevent smuggled poultry, poultry of unknown origin from appearing in the markets.

Along with that, the Sub-Department of Livestock and Animal Health has taken samples to monitor avian influenza viruses at markets as well as at high-risk areas to conduct rapid tests, thereby, promptly detecting disease areas (if any) to take measures to prevent and control (from the beginning of June to June 12, the Animal Health agency took 28 samples at Loc Binh market, Loc Binh district; Dong Dang market, Cao Loc district; Na Sam market, Van Lang district; Gieng Vuong market, Lang Son city for testing, currently waiting for results).

At the grassroots level, the Animal Health staff at grassroots level sprayed to disinfect the barns of poultry raising households (from the beginning of June 2021 to present, the Sub-Department of Livestock and Animal Health has provided more than 5 thousand liters of disinfectants); strengthened the vaccination for poultry in the province (from the beginning of May 2021 up to now, 96,454 birds have been vaccinated); promoted propaganda about the dangers of avian influenza H5N8 to poultry raising households.

“In addition, at present, the Provincial Sub-Department of Livestock and Animal Health has been organizing training courses to improve professional capacity for grassroots veterinarians; to build a mechanism to update information about epidemic from veterinarians, so that they can promptly handle any situation if an epidemic occurs…” – Mr. Nguyen Nam Hung said.

With the active spirit, the provincial functional sectors have been creating a line to prevent the infection of H5N8 avian influenza virus, thereby, ensuring the maintenance and development of livestock production in the area.

“Since May 2021, avian influenza virus H5N8 has appeared in China. This is a highly virulent virus, causing disease in poultry, with a fast spreading speed. If this strain of virus enters and infects the province’s poultry flocks, the damage caused to poultry farmers will be great.”

Mr. Chu Nguyen Thach, Director of the Animal Quarantine Sub-Department of Lang Son