About 14,000 broiler ducks at three farms in Pingtung County’s Yanpu (鹽埔) and Kaoshu (高樹) townships were culled on Thursday after it was discovered they were infected with avian influenza, the second confirmed case in Pingtung County within a week.
Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine Director-General Chang Su-san (張淑賢) said ducks at the three farms were found to have contracted a new strain of the avian influenza H5 subtype virus on Wednesday, and a full culling was conducted at the affected farms on Thursday.
Chang said the three farms are within a 1km radius of a farm in Pingtung’s Sinyuan Township (新園), where 5,780 broiler ducks infected with the H5 subtype virus were culled last Thursday.
She said the ducks culled this week were healthy, but preventive culling was conducted in accordance with epidemic prevention regulations, adding that the bureau instructed farmers to disinfect and clean the animals’ enclosures to prevent the spread of the virus.
Ducks are potential carriers of avian influenza that exhibit few symptoms and low mortality rates when infected.
The bureau said it will now take samples from all farms within a 1km radius of the affected farms.
Any operators that refuse the bureau’s inspection will face a fine of between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000 (US$913 and US$4,569), and those who fail to report any erratic farm animal deaths will face a maximum fine of NT$1 million, Chang said
The Pingtung outbreak is the latest in a series of reported cases since ducks and chickens at farms in Chiayi and Changhau counties were found infected with avian influenza late last month. The total number of ducks and chickens culled this year has exceeded 5 million, the bureau said.
The bureau said a serious outbreak might occur in the autumn, and has called on epidemic prevention officers to thoroughly disinfect affected facilities, as well as vehicles and equipment used for disease control purposes.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS