Risk of H5N6 avian influenza outbreak from uncontrolled slaughter

Quynh Luu is the first locality in Nghe An to have an outbreak of H5N6 avian influenza. According to recommendations from authorities, the H5N6 virus spreads and breaks out very quickly in livestock and has the potential to infect humans. However, after the outbreak in the area, the control of poultry transportation and slaughter has not been strictly monitored and inspected.

Observing a household specializing in buying and selling poultry in block 4, Cau Giat town (Quynh Luu), we noted that there were many traders carrying trucks of geese and ducks here to resell to the facility. The slaughter of poultry here is not controlled by the authorities. All wastewater from poultry slaughter flows into the canal. It is worth mentioning that this slaughterhouse is located next to the center of Giat market, so if there is no inspection of the origin of poultry, the risk of spreading influenza is very high.

Large poultry selling point at Giat market. Photo: Viet Hung

The entire Quynh Luu district currently has hundreds of households slaughtering small poultry, with thousands of birds being sold to the market every day. According to research, at large markets such as: Giat market, Giat crossroads market, Quynh Ngoc market, Ngo market... there are many poultry for sale. However, no one can know whether there are signs of disease among the poultry sold in the market? For slaughtered poultry, there is no control by veterinary agencies, so this is a concern about the spread of flu.

Mr. Tran Minh Quan - Acting Head of the Quynh Luu District Veterinary Station said that in the district, there are currently more than 1.7 million poultry being raised by the people. The locality currently does not have a centralized poultry slaughterhouse, so the poultry sold at the markets are all purchased by the people themselves and then slaughtered for sale. During the time of the H5N6 flu epidemic, the trading and slaughtering of small, individual poultry originating from people's homes is easily the cause of spreading the disease.

Every day, Mrs. Pham Thi Loan's family in Block 1, Vinh Tan Ward (Vinh City) slaughters about 300 poultry. Photo: Phu Huong

In addition to uncontrolled slaughtering in the area, poultry from Quynh Luu is also transported to many other localities, including Vinh city. Block 1, Vinh Tan ward, Vinh city is considered the largest poultry slaughtering point in the area with over 80 households specializing in poultry slaughtering services; in addition, in Vinh My and Yen Giang blocks, there are nearly 20 households practicing this profession, bringing the total number of households practicing this profession in the entire ward to over 100 households.

Every day, Mrs. Pham Thi Loan's family in Block 1, Vinh Tan Ward slaughters an average of 300 poultry, including chickens, ducks, geese and swans. "I buy chickens from farms in the province, then butcher them and import them to markets and restaurants. Or restaurants bring live chickens to be butchered. They say that all poultry have passed quarantine, but I don't look at the papers, I just hear that. As for those who bring 5-10 chickens, they don't have any, they just determine that the chickens are healthy based on their senses," said Mrs. Loan.

Ms. Do Thi Ha - Hung Dung market is confident that she can distinguish between healthy and sick chickens. Photo: Phu Huong

At markets in Vinh city, the poultry slaughtering situation is as bustling as the "slaughter village" in Vinh Tan. According to the reporter's observations, these slaughterhouses are unsanitary, with chicken feathers, duck feathers, waste, and freshly slaughtered chicken feces flowing everywhere, giving off a strong stench.

Since February 5th, in Nghe An province, there has been an outbreak of H5N6 avian influenza in less than 21 days in 5 communes of Quynh Luu district, namely Quynh Hong, Quynh Ba, Quynh Hau, Quynh Hung and recently Quynh Ngoc commune. The total number of poultry that had to be destroyed was over 700.

According to Mr. Dang Van Minh - Head of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, while the whole province has 58 livestock slaughterhouses, there is no poultry slaughterhouse at all. People buy and slaughter themselves or go to the market to buy and hire someone to slaughter them at the market. This not only causes food safety problems, but also poses a very high risk of bird flu infection to both the slaughterers, people in the market and consumers, causing the outbreak and spread of bird flu. Pathogens can exist in feces, spread in the environment and air, and are especially dangerous when humans can be infected by this disease.