Postpone meeting to prevent bird flu

(Baonghean.vn)- The bird flu epidemic is becoming more complicated, and authorities are recommending that people strengthen measures to protect livestock and use quarantined poultry products.

To protect the safety of the 2.8 million chickens and ducks currently available,Yen Thanh districtis focusing on urgent and proactive solutions in epidemic prevention and control.

The commune veterinary board guides farms to regularly monitor changes in the total herd, increase the resistance of livestock by increasing nutritional rations; absolutely do not let ducks roam freely in the fields to minimize the risk of disease spread.

The chicken farm of Mr. Phan Van Tuan's family in Vinh Thanh commune is periodically disinfected with Han-Iodine chemicals. Photo: Thai Duong

Yen Thanh is a district with a large number of poultry and waterfowl, most of which are raised in farms. Given the complicated situation of disease and weather, especially this is the time when farmers are restocking their flocks, it is difficult to control the number of newly raised chickens and ducks that have not been vaccinated against diseases, so the risk of disease outbreaks is high.

To proactively deal with epidemics, the district has promoted propaganda and dissemination of policies and regulations of the Veterinary Law to raise people's awareness and responsibility in disease prevention and control.

Stillin Thanh ChuongMany communes simultaneously deployed the spraying of disinfectants in all barns, livestock areas and houses.

Thanh Chuong district organizes large-scale chemical spraying to prevent influenza. Photo: Dinh Ha

According to Mr. Dao Quang Bien - Head of the Veterinary Station of Thanh Chuong district, the district is deploying simultaneously. Currently, the communes have received enough 750 liters of chemicals to spray over 1.5 million m2 of barns, markets and areas with high risk of outbreaks. Accordingly, priority will be given to communes bordering Ha Tinh province, with Do Luong district being the place where the epidemic is occurring, and next priority will be given to 12 old outbreak points such as Thanh Chi commune.

In recent days, leaders of Thanh Chuong district have directly inspected communes to urge and direct the work of preventing and combating avian influenza. Mr. Le Dinh Thanh - Deputy Chairman of the district People's Committee said: "Members of the district steering committee have gone down to the grassroots level to urge, and at the same time, prepare human resources and materials to respond urgently when an epidemic occurs."

Sun -Tran Dinh Ha

* Below are the opinions of small traders, livestock farmers andauthoritiesaround the reality of avian influenza prevention work.

Ms. Tran Thi Lan in Hamlet 3, Ky Tan, Tan Ky. Photo: Phuong Thuy

Ms. Tran Thi Lan - Hamlet 3, Ky Tan, Tan Ky - a small trader specializing in selling chickens:

"Since the news of the bird flu epidemic, my family has been very worried because we cannot sell chickens, our entire livelihood depends on this. However, the price of chickens since Tet has not increased or decreased. The price of chickens ranges from 100,000 VND - 110,000 VND/kg, if customers want to clean the chickens, the price is always 7,000 - 10,000 VND/chicken.

To prevent poultry diseases as well as ensure my own health, I often use gloves, masks, rubber shoes... to avoid direct contact with poultry. In addition, after slaughtering chickens, I also have to disinfect my hands and feet to ensure environmental hygiene as well as personal hygiene.

However, sometimes I get so busy working that I forget to wear a mask. Sometimes I feel worried, but then work just goes on day after day..."

Phuong Thuy

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tan in Hamlet 10, Quynh Vinh Commune (Hoang Mai Town). Photo: N. Son

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tan - Hamlet 10, Quynh Vinh Commune (Hoang Mai Town):

"My family regularly raises about 200 egg-laying hens. After the hens have laid a few clutches, we sell them and raise the flock again. Each time, I bring in breeding hens, but I don't know for sure whether the breed has been quarantined or not (?).

However, during the raising process, the family buys disease prevention medicine mixed with water for the chickens to drink and regularly covers the coop, spreading lime powder in and around the raising area.

Faced with the developments of the bird flu epidemic, my family and many other farming households are really worried, but our family is still raising chickens in the traditional way as above."

Nguyen Son

Mr. Cao Duc Bong - Vice Chairman of Dien Thanh Commune People's Committee. Photo by Mai Giang

Mr. Cao Duc Bong - Vice Chairman of People's Committee of Dien Thanh Commune (Dien Chau):

"Currently, the whole commune has 13,000 poultry, 1,100 cattle, only 3 farms raising 300-500 animals, the remaining 1,500 households raise small-scale livestock at home. Although the H5N1 avian influenza epidemic has occurred in 4 communes, the livestock situation in Dien Thanh is still stable.

On February 27, we proactively allocated our budget to buy 5,000 doses of vaccine to bring to households and supported the hiring of people and the veterinary team to vaccinate the poultry. Up to now, 6/11 hamlets have been vaccinated and completed on March 2.

We have signed a commitment with 12 slaughterhouses at Phu Dien market not to trade, sell, or slaughter sick poultry or poultry that do not ensure food hygiene; at the same time, we have also prepared plans and human resources to be ready to respond when an epidemic occurs in the area."

Mai Giang

Mr. Dang Van Minh - Deputy Head of the Provincial Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine. Photo by Phu Huong

Mr. Dang Van Minh - Deputy Head of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine of Nghe An province:

The A/H7N9 influenza virus is determined to originate from poultry but has not yet caused clinical disease in poultry. This is a virus that is transmitted from poultry to humans, causing disease in humans and a very high mortality rate.

The A/H7N9 influenza virus has the same survival and transmission methods as the A/H5N1 influenza virus, and is often found in places where poultry is concentrated, including poorly managed live poultry markets. At the same time, this virus also has the same survival and transmission methods as the A/H9N2 influenza virus.

The main route of virus excretion is through the pharynx; the virus has the internal genome of the A/H9N2 influenza virus; has a specific binding receptor site like the A/H9N2 influenza virus in poultry in China, etc. This shows that it may have many similar characteristics to the A/H9N2 influenza virus, with the potential to spread widely in poultry in China in the future.

However, the danger is that poultry infected with A/H7N9 influenza do not show any signs of recognition, and the infected poultry flocks remain healthy despite carrying the avian influenza virus, making it difficult to detect and treat. Therefore, to prevent A/H7N9 influenza, farmers should only buy poultry breeds from reputable breeding facilities with clear origins that have been quarantined by veterinary forces; consumers should only buy poultry and poultry products with clear origins that have been quarantined for use as food.

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Phu Huong