Urgent telegram on implementing solutions to control and prevent avian influenza

According to the announcement of the Department of Animal Health, since the beginning of 2021, there have been 40 outbreaks of avian influenza (AI) A/H5N6 and A/H5N1 in 14 provinces and cities nationwide, with a total of over 100,000 poultry forced to be destroyed. Currently, in Nghe An province, there is an outbreak of A/H5N6 AI occurring in Dien Trung commune, Dien Chau district, less than 21 days ago.

Authorities sprayed disinfectant on poultry flocks in Dien Trung (Dien Chau) when an epidemic broke out in the locality on December 5, 2020. Photo: Nguyen Chau

It is assessed that in the coming time, the risk of ASF continuing to spread and occur on a large scale is very high, because Nghe An province has a large poultry herd, most of the poultry raised by households have not been vaccinated with ASF; after the Lunar New Year, many farms and households have re-herded, trading and transporting poultry and poultry products is large; unfavorable weather changes, reduced resistance of livestock, creating favorable conditions for pathogens to survive, spread and cause epidemics.

Implementing the Prime Minister's Official Dispatch No. 163/CD-TTg dated February 8, 2011 on focusing on drastic and synchronous implementation of solutions to control and prevent avian influenza and avian influenza virus strains transmitted to humans, to promptly and effectively control the ASF epidemic, minimize damage to the livestock industry and ensure people's health, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requests the Chairmen of the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns; Directors of departments and heads of relevant provincial-level sectors to focus on drastic and synchronous implementation of the following measures to prevent and control the epidemic:

1. People's Committees of districts, cities and towns:

- Urgently arrange funding and resources to synchronously and drastically implement solutions to prevent and control bird flu in accordance with the contents of Decision No. 1114/QD-UBND dated April 9, 2019, Decision No. 1620/QD-UBND dated May 26, 2019 of the Provincial People's Committee on approving the plan to prevent and control bird flu in Nghe An province for the period 2018 - 2025 and the contents of Official Dispatch No. 02/CD-UBND dated January 18, 2021 of the Provincial People's Committee on focusing on drastically and synchronously implementing solutions to control, prevent and control widespread bird flu.

Quynh Hong Commune (Quynh Luu) organized chemical spraying to disinfect and sterilize the bird flu outbreak in February 2020. Photo: Quang An

- Develop a plan for livestock and poultry vaccination in 2021 (spring and autumn crops) according to the direction of the Provincial People's Committee in Official Dispatch No. 531/UBND-NN dated January 29, 2021 on focusing on directing the implementation of livestock and poultry vaccination in 2020 and paying special attention to thoroughly vaccinating against avian influenza to reach 100% of the vaccination area.

- Direct the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Economics, the District Agricultural Service Center, and the Commune People's Committee to send additional staff to the grassroots to grasp the epidemic situation. Upon receiving information about sick or suspected sick poultry, it is necessary to immediately conduct an epidemiological investigation, take samples for testing, sign a commitment with the household owners not to throw dead animals into the environment, not to transport, sell, or slaughter sick or dead poultry; implement measures to prevent, control, and contain outbreaks on a small scale, and use CGC vaccines suitable for the virus strains currently circulating in the area for vaccination according to the instructions of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine;

- Provide information and widely propagate in many forms about the risks, harms and measures to prevent and control CGC epidemics; practice biosafety in livestock farming, ensure clear origin of breeding animals, controlled by veterinary agencies; regularly disinfect the livestock environment, do not use poultry products of unknown origin, not quarantined, do not eat poultry blood pudding...

- Organize inspection teams, closely monitor and strictly handle organizations and individuals violating regulations on transporting and trading poultry and poultry products in the area; guide and direct disease prevention and control work and vaccination of livestock and poultry in the spring crop of 2021;

- Directing the People's Committee at the commune level:

+ Review and count livestock households and livestock herds in the area. Strengthen disease surveillance to detect early, warn and handle promptly when new diseases are discovered. Strictly handle cases of concealing diseases, not reporting, arbitrarily slaughtering and consuming sick poultry, and dumping poultry carcasses into the environment, leading to widespread disease spread.

+ Develop a plan and organize full vaccination of livestock and poultry according to the provisions of Circular No. 07/2016/TT-BNNPTNT dated May 31, 2016 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on prevention and control of terrestrial animal diseases, ensuring 100% vaccination coverage.

+ Organize and mobilize people to clean and disinfect the environment, clear bushes, clean barns, collect waste, spread lime powder, and spray chemicals to kill pathogens;

+ Propagate and guide livestock farmers to proactively and synchronously implement disease prevention measures and biosafety farming; immediately report cases of poultry showing signs of illness or suspected of being infected with ASF to local authorities;

- For the People's Committee of Dien Chau district(localities with CGC epidemic): In addition to the above tasks, it is necessary to concentrate all resources and apply synchronous solutions to control and completely handle CGC outbreaks in a small area, not allowing them to spread and cause new outbreaks; organize sanitation, disinfection, and sterilization of barns; promptly report daily on the development of the epidemic situation and epidemic prevention and control work to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (through the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine).

2. Department of Agriculture and Rural Development:

- Direct the interdisciplinary mobile working group established in Decision 125/QDSNN.QLKTKHCN dated March 4, 2019 of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to coordinate with relevant agencies... to strengthen control of the transportation of animals and animal products to prevent and control epidemics in the province, and strictly handle violations according to regulations.

- Actively coordinate and share information on avian influenza outbreaks with the Department of Health to control avian influenza virus strains that can spread to humans.

- Direct the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine:

- Coordinate with People's Committees of districts, cities and towns to organize measures to thoroughly handle outbreaks, control and prevent the disease from spreading widely;

+ Direct the Northern Nghe An Animal Quarantine Station to strengthen inspection and control of the transportation of animals and animal products in and out of the province; detect and strictly handle violations according to regulations;

- Strictly implement quarantine of animals and animal products transported out of the province;

+ Announce strains of viruses causing infectious diseases in livestock and poultry circulating in the province; recommend and guide facilities to use the right types of vaccines to effectively vaccinate livestock and poultry. Prepare enough vaccines to supply promptly when requested by localities to serve the vaccination of livestock and poultry in the spring and autumn crops of 2021.

3. Department of Health:Actively deploy surveillance activities, early detection of cases of respiratory infections with a history of contact with poultry, poultry products, and suspected cases of CGC infection in humans for timely isolation, treatment and management, avoiding infection in the community; ensure adequate medical equipment, medicines and essential chemicals to serve the work of preventing and controlling CGC epidemics transmitted from poultry to humans.

4. Department of Finance:Advise on allocating sufficient funding for CGC epidemic prevention and control work according to regulations so that epidemic prevention and control activities can be deployed promptly and effectively.

5. Department of Natural Resources and Environment:Take the lead in coordinating with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to provide guidance on landfill locations and techniques for controlling and treating the environment when destroying livestock and poultry; provide guidance on measures to treat the environment, wastewater, and waste from livestock activities.

6. Provincial Police, Department of Industry and Trade, Market Management Department, Customs Department, Provincial Border Guard Command:Direct units and forces to coordinate with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine and localities to strengthen inspection, control, arrest and strictly handle organizations and individuals trading and transporting smuggled animals and animal products of unknown origin, not ensuring veterinary hygiene and food safety.

7. Provincial Radio and Television Station, Nghe An Newspaper:Step up extensive propaganda activities on the developments of the epidemic situation and epidemic prevention and control measures so that people know and implement them.

8. Relevant provincial departments and branches:Based on functions, tasks and powers, proactively coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the District People's Committee to implement measures to prevent and control livestock and poultry diseases.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requests the Chairmen of the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns; Directors of departments and heads of relevant provincial-level sectors to strictly implement this Official Dispatch./.