Implement urgent measures to prevent and combat avian influenza

(Baonghean.vn)- From August 4, 2016 to August 10, 2016, in Nghe An province, there were 3 outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza in Nghi Van and Nghi Cong Nam communes, Nghi Loc district and Nghi Kim commune, Vinh city. The number of sick poultry and the number of poultry exposed to the pathogen that had to be destroyed was 2,287 poultry.

The cause of the outbreak is that the poultry flock has 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 (H5N6 strain accounts for 22.9%, H5N1 strain 27%) - the transportation and trade of poultry and small, scattered poultry products are difficult to control, combined with the erratic weather changes, reducing 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 during the rainy and stormy season, is very high.

In order to promptly control outbreaks, prevent the epidemic from spreading widely and minimize damage caused by the flu, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requests the Chairmen of the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns; Directors of relevant provincial departments, branches and sectors to focus on directing the good implementation of the following contents:

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

a) For localities with epidemics including Nghi Loc district and Vinh city: concentrate all resources to control the epidemic as soon as possible to prevent the epidemic from spreading widely.

b) Direct livestock and veterinary stations to coordinate with local authorities at commune, ward and town levels to strengthen surveillance, quickly detect poultry cases to handle small-scale outbreaks. Assign responsibility to village secretaries, commune-level veterinarians and livestock farmers to monitor and report epidemics according to regulations.

c) Strengthen information and propaganda work on the radio system of communes, wards and towns about the dangerous nature of avian influenza virus strains (A/H7N9 A/H5N6, A/H5N1...) that can be transmitted to humans. Require farmers to report epidemics when discovering sick or unusually dead poultry; strictly prohibit hiding epidemics and selling sick poultry that spread the epidemic; do not trade poultry and poultry products of unknown origin that have not been quarantined.

d) Direct the People's Committees at the commune level to carefully review poultry farms and ranches in the area, and have regulations requiring farmers to spend their own money to buy avian influenza vaccines to vaccinate their poultry flocks 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. Organizations and individuals raising poultry that do not comply with avian influenza vaccination according to regulations, if an avian influenza outbreak occurs and the poultry must be destroyed, will not be entitled to state support policies.

e) Assign specific responsibilities to each member of the District Steering Committee for Epidemic Prevention and Control to directly go to the grassroots level to urge, direct and supervise epidemic prevention and control work in localities, focusing on areas at high risk of infection; prepare human resources and materials for emergency response when an epidemic occurs.

f) 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.

g) Implement good sanitation 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.).

1. Department of Agriculture and Rural Development:

a) Take the lead in coordinating with the District People's Committee and relevant departments and branches to strengthen the direction and implementation of avian influenza prevention and control work in the province.

b) Direct the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine:

- 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. Implement well the quarantine of poultry and poultry products in accordance with regulations.

- Assign the Bac Nghe An Quarantine Station to coordinate with the Hoang Mai Town Police and the provincial Traffic Police force on duty on National Highway 1A to strictly control and strictly handle violations of transporting poultry and poultry products of unknown origin, not ensuring food safety...

- 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.

2. Department of Health: Coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to implement measures to prevent influenza A/H7N9, A/H5N6, A/H5N1 from spreading to humans.

3. Department of Information and Communications, Provincial Radio and Television Station, Nghe An Newspaper

- Timely information to 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 and measures to prevent and control avian influenza so that people know and voluntarily implement them.

4. Provincial Police: Directing 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. Coordinate with relevant forces to organize the fight to arrest and strictly handle subjects who intentionally violate the law.

5. Relevant departments, agencies and branches; members of the Provincial Steering Committee for Disease Control and 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 and control 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 departments 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.

PV