Second African Swine Fever Case: Chinese Drifting Pig Carcass Washes Ashore at Dongju in Lianjiang; Source Estimated to Be the Min River in Fujian
Another pig carcass infected with African swine fever has been found drifting in from China! The Central Emergency Operation Center for African Swine Fever (hereafter referred to as the Emergency Operation Center) stated today (the 19th) that on January 17, a dead pig that had drifted ashore was found on the coast of Xiniuyu (an uninhabited islet) off Dongju in Lianjiang County, and testing confirmed it was infected with African swine fever. When the carcass was found, the pig had been dead for about a week. The islet is uninhabited and has no pig farms, so it is estimated that the carcass drifted over from the mouth of the Min River in Fujian Province, China. More than 200 pigs in Lianjiang County have also been checked, confirming that no pigs were infected.
The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine Notified China, Requesting Proper Disposal of Pig Carcasses
The Emergency Operation Center stated that the Lianjiang County Government has already carried out disinfection measures for the people, vehicles, equipment, and areas that came into contact with the pig carcass. The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine of the Council of Agriculture will also follow the cross-strait epidemic prevention notification mechanism to notify mainland China and request that pig farmers within its jurisdiction properly dispose of pig carcasses.
Xu Rongbin stated that discarded pig carcasses are commonly heard of in China, and because Kinmen and Matsu are geographically close to China, situations involving pig carcasses drifting over from China may continue to occur in the future.
New X-ray Machines Added; High-Risk Flights from China, Hong Kong, and Macao to Be 100% Inspected as Soon as Possible
Regarding the inspection of carry-on luggage of inbound passengers from high-risk areas (China, Hong Kong, and Macao), the current inspection rate is only 50%. This morning (the 19th), Chen Chi-chung, Minister of the Council of Agriculture, stated that 100% inspection capacity will be completed as soon as possible. The Emergency Operation Center stated that since the 16th, the Aviation Police Bureau of the National Police Agency of the Ministry of the Interior has dispatched personnel to Taoyuan International Airport to conduct publicity for flights from high-risk areas at the point where passengers exit the jet bridge and boarding gate, and to manually inspect carry-on luggage. New X-ray machines have now been purchased, and installation will be completed as soon as possible.
The amounts of animal products seized and destroyed in the past three days were 22.7 kg on the 16th, 8.5 kg on the 17th, and 19 kg on the 18th, totaling 50.2 kg destroyed. The Emergency Operation Center stated that although the Aviation Police Bureau's measure of inspecting passengers' carry-on luggage at the disembarkation point delays customs clearance somewhat, it also achieves a publicity effect, encouraging violators to discard prohibited quarantine items early and avoiding heavy penalties when passengers pass through the green line counter at customs. In order to block the invasion of African swine fever, passengers are asked to cooperate more and do their part for epidemic prevention.