Provincial People's Committee directs prevention of H5N1 and H5N6 avian influenza

(Baonghean.vn) - Nghe An Provincial People's Committee has just issued urgent dispatch No. 18/CD-UBND on urgent implementation of measures to prevent and control H5N1 and H5N6 avian influenza in Nghe An province at the present stage.

According to the announcement of the Department of Animal Health, currently there are 08 outbreaks of Avian Influenza nationwide occurring in 06 provinces (Ca Mau, Son La, Quang Ngai, Ha Tinh, Lai Chau and Nghe An) in less than 21 days.

In Nghe An province, from November 18, 2015 to November 26, 2015, there were 2 outbreaks of avian influenza in Hoa Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district (A/H5N1) and Dien Hong commune, Dien Chau district (A/H5N6). The number of sick poultry and the number of poultry exposed to the pathogen that had to be destroyed was 2,365 chickens.

In 2014, avian influenza also occurred in Hoa Thanh commune.

The cause of the epidemic was that the poultry had not been vaccinated against Avian Influenza.

On the other hand, according to the results of active surveillance, the rate of Avian Influenza virus circulation in poultry flocks is very high, with the H5N6 strain accounting for 22.9% and the H5N1 strain accounting for 2.7% in some localities (Dien Chau, Yen Thanh, Quynh Luu and Vinh City).

Poultry farming continues to increase in the last months of the year to serve the Lunar New Year in time, most poultry flocks have not been vaccinated against Avian Influenza; transportation, trading of poultry and poultry products are small and difficult to control; combined with rainy and humid weather, erratic changes reduce the resistance of livestock, creating favorable conditions for pathogens present in the bodies of healthy poultry, as well as in the farming environment to develop and cause disease. Therefore, the risk of Avian Influenza outbreaks in the coming time, especially in the cold and rainy season, is very high.

To promptly control outbreaks, prevent the disease from spreading widely, minimize the damage caused by influenza, and protect human health.

In the telegram issued on December 2, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested the Chairmen of the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns; Directors of relevant Departments, Boards and Branches to continue to strictly implement the urgent telegram No. 14/CD-UBND dated October 20, 2015 of the Provincial People's Committee.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee also requested the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns to focus on the following contents: For districts with epidemics including Yen Thanh and Dien Chau, it is necessary to concentrate all resources to control the epidemic as soon as possible, not allowing the epidemic to spread widely. Direct the Veterinary Station to coordinate with local authorities at the commune, ward and town levels to strengthen surveillance, quickly detect cases of sick poultry to handle small-scale outbreaks. Assign responsibility to the Party Secretary, village chief, commune-level veterinarian and livestock farmers to monitor and report epidemics according to regulations.

Strengthen information and propaganda activities on the loudspeaker systems of communes, wards and towns about the dangerous nature of avian influenza virus strains (A/H5N6, A/H5N1...) that can be transmitted to humans. Require farmers to report outbreaks when poultry are found to be sick or dying abnormally; strictly prohibit the concealment of outbreaks and the sale of sick poultry that spread the disease; do not trade poultry and poultry products of unknown origin that have not been quarantined.

Direct the People's Committees at the commune level to carefully review poultry farms in the area, and impose sanctions requiring farmers to spend their own money to buy avian influenza vaccines to vaccinate their poultry flocks. Organizations and individuals raising poultry that do not comply with avian influenza vaccination according to regulations, if an avian influenza outbreak occurs and are forced to destroy their poultry, will not be eligible for state support policies.

Assign specific responsibilities to each member of the Steering Committee for Livestock, Poultry and Aquatic Disease Prevention and Control to directly go to the grassroots level to urge, direct and supervise disease prevention and control work in localities, focusing on areas with high risk of disease infection; prepare human resources and materials to respond urgently when an epidemic occurs.

Direct relevant forces (veterinary, market management, police, etc.) to regularly inspect and monitor poultry trading, slaughtering and business locations; strengthen management and prevent the transportation of poultry and poultry products from epidemic areas, of unknown origin, not quarantined, originating from epidemic areas into the district. Promptly detect and strictly handle violations according to the provisions of law.

Implement good hygiene and disinfection in livestock farming, focusing on areas at high risk of avian influenza outbreaks (poultry farming areas, markets, poultry collection points, hatcheries, poultry slaughterhouses, etc.).

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development toTake the lead in coordinating with the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns to strengthen the direction of avian influenza prevention work in the province;cVeterinary DepartmentImplement surveillance sampling on poultry and livestock environment to detect early strains of influenza virus A/H5N1, A/H5N6, A/H7N9 for timely treatment;Strictly control the transportation and trade of poultry and poultry products within and outside the province; strengthen coordination with inter-sectoral functional forces to inspect, control, arrest and handle violations in the transportation of poultry and poultry products in and out of the province.

The Northern Nghe An Quarantine Station coordinates with the Hoang Mai Town Police and the provincial traffic police force on duty on National Highway 1A to closely control and strictly handle violations of animal and animal product transportation according to the provisions of the Law.Thoroughly handle avian influenza outbreaks according to the instructions of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Department of Animal Health, to prevent the virus from spreading widely.

Request the Department of Health to coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to deploy measures to prevent A/H5N6 and A/H5N1 influenza from spreading to humans; the Department of Information and Communications, the Provincial Radio and Television Station, and Nghe An Newspaper to promptly and accurately inform people about the developments of the avian influenza epidemic; coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Department of Health to increase information and propaganda on mass media about the dangers of avian influenza; measures to prevent and control A/H5N6 and A/H5N1 influenza in humans and poultry so that people know and voluntarily implement them.

Propose that the Provincial Police direct the functional forces to investigate, monitor and grasp the situation and take measures to educate and deter subjects showing signs of trading, transporting and consuming smuggled poultry and poultry products; poultry and poultry products of unknown origin; livestock and poultry from epidemic areas entering the province. Coordinate with relevant forces to organize the fight to arrest and strictly handle subjects who intentionally violate.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee also requested relevant Departments, Boards, and Branches; members of the Provincial Steering Committee for Livestock and Poultry Disease Prevention: Based on their functions and tasks, coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the District People's Committees to direct the implementation of effective disease prevention measures.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested the Chairmen of the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns; Directors of Departments, Heads of Provincial-level Committees and Branches to urgently and effectively implement epidemic prevention measures. During the implementation process, if there are any problems or difficulties, the units should report to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for synthesis and submission to the Provincial People's Committee for timely solutions.

N. Faculty