Ganghwa County Strengthens Avian Flu Prevention Using Drones

[Suwon Ilbo=Correspondent Seo Dong-young] Ganghwa County announced on the 17th that it has strengthened quarantine measures, including the use of drones, as highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) continues to be detected in wild birds.

The county has established customized quarantine plans taking into account the quarantine level of each farm, location, and surrounding conditions.

The most notable measure is the use of drones. Drones enable efficient quarantine of poultry house roofs contaminated by wild migratory bird droppings and areas where vehicle disinfection is impossible, without quarantine personnel having to enter the farms.

During the recent holiday period, the county launched drone-based quarantine operations in preparation for increased inbound vehicle traffic, conducting precision quarantine of 34 full-scale poultry farms within the county, migratory bird habitats, rivers, and surrounding roads. On the 8th and 9th, comprehensive inspections were conducted on 15 poultry farms. All inspection results came back negative.

Meanwhile, the county is maintaining a clean area through preemptive, high-intensity quarantine measures, including 24-hour operation of point disinfection facilities at Ganghwa Bridge and Choji Bridge where highly pathogenic AI is rapidly spreading nationwide, and operating a joint pest control unit with the Incheon Ganghwa Ongjin Livestock Cooperative to expand disinfection support for farms.

A county official stated, "Highly pathogenic AI occurrences are expected to decrease from mid-February as migratory birds migrate northward," and added, "We will defend clean Ganghwa County to the end through strict quarantine measures including disinfection of farm interiors and exteriors, vehicle disinfection, and prohibition of entry to migratory bird habitats."