An officials' cover-up of an imported swan secretly removed from a quarantine station last month highlights the nation's potential vulnerability to the spread of disease.
However, officials with the Council of Agriculture said yesterday that the first-ever theft of an animal under quarantine would not lead to the spread of a serious disease because results of previous examinations showed the existence of antibodies -- and not viruses -- in the quarantined swans.
According to the council's Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, on Jan. 28, a Taiwanese trading company imported 30 swans from Hungary. They were kept in a quarantine station in Hsinchu for the required 21-day inspection and quarantine.
Reports filed from the station said that five swans died from the from the disease known as aspergillus fumigatus while in quarantine.
Bureau Deputy Director-General Yeh Ying (葉瑩) said yesterday that an in-depth investigation showed that there were four swan deaths out of the 26 in quarantine, and the missing swan was stolen by an employee of the trading company in February.
Yeh said that officials at the station involved in the cover-up of the theft have since be given other duties.
"We've tracked down the swan stolen from the company," Yeh said. "But we need more solid evidence proving that it was the same [swan]. A theft of this nature can carry up to three years' imprisonment and a fine less than NT$150,000."
As they failed to meet Taiwanese health requirement, the remaining 25 swans were destroyed on March 14,Yeh said. They carried antibodies against New Castle Diseases, a virus far less dangerous than bird flu.
"We found no virus of deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in the swans," Yeh stressed.
Yeh said that the cover-up has prompted a review of management and the standard operating procedure at all quarantine stations in order to prevent a similar incident.
Although deadly bird flu outbreak has plagued some Asian countries, Yeh said that Taiwan remains unaffected by the disease. However, the inspection and quarantine must remain strict at all customs checkpoints.
Citing the outbreak bird flu in Thailand and Vietnam last year, the bureau has reminded travelers of the risk of spreading the virus by smuggling birds or bird-related products out of those countries.
Bureau officials said yesterday that the nation's poultry farmers remain on high alert because a number of farms in central and southern Taiwan that have witnessed an outbreak of the less harmful H5N2 strain of bird flu early last year.
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