0131 African Swine Fever"16 X-ray machines in place, screening 4,000 people per hour, Council of Agriculture stays on duty through the Spring Festival to prepare for battle
In response to the frequent inbound and outbound travel during the Spring Festival holiday, the Central Emergency Operation Center for African Swine Fever held its sixth African swine fever meeting today (the 31st). Huang Chin-cheng, deputy chairman of the Council of Agriculture, said that 16 X-ray machines would be installed at Taoyuan Airport tonight, and once testing is confirmed, they will be put into use on February 2, achieving 100% inspection of carry-on luggage in a strong effort to block African swine fever from entering the country.
16 X-ray machines added at Taoyuan Airport tonight; 100% inspection without disrupting smooth arrivals
Huang Chin-cheng further pointed out that for travelers entering Taiwan, China from high-risk epidemic areas including China, Hong Kong, China, and Macao, China, 100% inspection of carry-on luggage will be achieved. Taoyuan Airport Terminals 1 and 2 are expected to have 16 X-ray machines installed tonight. As for whether this will cause the arrival flow to become unsmooth, he said that the peak arrival volume during the Chinese New Year is estimated at 2,400 people per hour, but after Taoyuan Airport adds 16 X-ray machines, the number of people screened per hour can reach 4,000, "definitely enough to allow passengers to enter smoothly, there will be no problem."
During the Spring Festival, the Council of Agriculture assigns staff to remain on duty to monitor changes in the epidemic
Huang Chin-cheng said that checked baggage at Taoyuan Airport had already long since achieved 100% inspection using X-ray screening. Checked and carry-on baggage at Songshan Airport is also inspected using X-ray machines. As for Kaohsiung Siaogang Airport, checked baggage is inspected by X-ray, but carry-on baggage still relies on manual inspection, and two X-ray machines are expected to be installed on March 8.
During the Spring Festival, all units have not slackened off and have strengthened manpower inspections, including the Council of Agriculture, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ocean Affairs Council, and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, adding 565 personnel to fully implement 100% inspection. Even during the Spring Festival holiday, the Council of Agriculture will assign staff to remain on duty to monitor changes in the epidemic.
In addition to inspections at international airports, during the Spring Festival the Coast Guard Administration under the Ocean Affairs Council has also strengthened manpower to implement security checks for fishing boats entering port, and to carry out inspection of passengers on ships under the mini three links, cross-strait direct sea shipping, and routes between the outlying islands and the main island.
China's epidemic peak has not yet passed; watch after June to see whether it eases
As to whether China's African swine fever epidemic has eased, Huang Chin-cheng said that after the 20th, China had not reported the epidemic to the OIE again, "I don't know whether there is no epidemic, or whether it is being effectively controlled." He believes that China's epidemic peak has still not passed, "Let's see in May and June whether the epidemic will come down."
Since the 25th, 8 cases of attempted entry fined 200,000; 3 refused to pay and were repatriated, 5 paid in full and entered
In addition, since the 25th, if foreign nationals from countries and regions affected by African swine fever violate the rules by bringing pork products into Taiwan, China, they will not only be fined 200,000, but if they cannot pay in full on the spot, they will immediately be denied entry. Peng Ming-hsing, head of the Animal Quarantine Division of the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, said that as of today there have been eight cases of fines issued to foreign nationals, of which three refused to pay and were not allowed to enter; the other five paid in full on the spot and still entered.
Pig farms using kitchen waste that fail verification must switch to feed-based pig farming or leave the industry; inspections and fines will continue one after another
There were originally 2,045 pig farms using kitchen waste, and later some applied one after another to exit the industry; there are currently 1,873. All kitchen-waste pig farms must pass reuse verification, and the extended deadline expired today. What is the current progress? Huang Chin-cheng said that the exact number is still being continuously compiled, and some counties and cities have not yet reported back; for example, Pingtung County cannot grasp the hidden number and is still working on it. It will only be definitively announced tomorrow morning, and it can only be very roughly estimated that about 800 farms have passed verification.
Huang Chin-cheng emphasized that as long as a farm has not passed reuse verification, it must switch to feed-based pig farming or leave the industry. "We will strengthen inspections; every time we inspect, we will fine once, issuing notices continuously." Under the Waste Disposal Act, fines of 1,200-6,000 yuan can be imposed.