Taiwan ups fight against H5N2, H5N8 bird flu

2015-01-14

Taiwan is ramping up efforts to contain a potential outbreak of bird flu following the discovery of H5N2 and H5N8 viruses in 20 southern Taiwan poultry farms, according to the Council of Agriculture Jan. 13.

A new variant of the H5N2 strain was confirmed in Pingtung and Yunlin counties, with the highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N8 detected in Chiayi County, the COA Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine said.

“Lab tests conducted by the Animal Health Research Institute show that the aberrant H5N2 variant resembles a composite of cases reported in South Korea and mainland China’s Jilin province, while the H5N8 virus is closely related to a strain found in the former last year."

The farms with confirmed infections have culled their ducks and geese and completed decontamination procedures. As the two subtypes are dissimilar to bird flu cases previously detected in Taiwan, the bureau said they were most likely transmitted by migratory birds.

“A two-day nationwide ban on commercial slaughter of domestic waterfowls has been put in place to contain the spread of the foreign strains,” bureau Director-general Chang Su-san said. “And until noon Jan. 14, no waterfowl transportation is allowed.”

Follow-up measures include enhanced monitoring of poultry farms located within 3 kilometers of outbreak sites and conversion to a dry environment for fowl management, according to Chang. “Infected farms are forbidden to resume operations before receiving official clearance,” she added.

Local governments have also mobilized resources to assist in combating bird flu. A total of 65 waterfowl farms located between Pingtung County in southern Taiwan and Taoyuan City in northern Taiwan are under close observation, with sanitization measures heightened in Greater Taipei’s livestock markets.

No symptomatic human cases caused by either subtype have been diagnosed, bureau said, adding that fowl-related products are safe for consumption when cooked at 70 C or above.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=226218&CtNode=413)