Thursday, September 28, 2017

MAFRA: South Korean H7N7 Indentified As LPAI















#12,781


Two days ago (see Reports of HPAI H5N6 In Vietnam, H7N7 In South Korea) we saw reports of the environmental detection of avian H7N7 in bird feces in North Gyeongsang Province, 344 km south of Seoul.  

While LPAI was suspected, we've been waiting for laboratory confirmation.
Result of close inspection of Yeoncheon wild bird feces in Gyeongbuk Province, according to the diagnosis of low-pathogenic AI (H7N7 type) 

Date Released 2017-09-28 10:10:00

The Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock and Livestock Food and Beverage (minister Kim Young-rok) said that the Environmental Science Institute conducted a detailed inspection on the AI that was found in the feces of wild birds in the village of Yeongcheon in Yeongcheon, Kyongbuk Province on September 25, and the result was H7N7, And that the area that was set for the area was released.


However, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock and Livestock and Livestock Food and Livestock has urged the poultry farmers nationwide to thoroughly prevent AI from taking into account the time of migratory birds movement and the special prevention period ('17 .10.1 ~ '18 .5.31) It plans to strengthen the forecast for wild birds.

After three consecutive years of devastating HPAI H5 outbreaks, and with China's H7N9 virus making fresh inroads in the north of that country over the summer, South Korea is understandably on alert for any new incursions of avian flu via migratory birds. 
LPAI H7 viruses are common in wild birds, and are normally not a threat, but when they are introduced into large poultry populations have the potential to mutate in to a highly pathogenic (HPAI) strain.
Yesterday's report (see South Korea Ramps Up Avian Flu Quarantine Measures) is a reflection of just how seriously South Korea regards this threat.