Jeju Island strengthens quarantine measures to prevent avian influenza outbreak at poultry farms

As highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) broke out one after another in wild birds and poultry farms across the country, Jeju Island strengthened quarantine measures to prevent the introduction of the virus into poultry farms in the province.

Jeju Island announced on the 6th that as the highly pathogenic avian influenza crisis alert has been upgraded to 'serious' level, it has activated the quarantine countermeasures headquarters and situation room and is maintaining a 24-hour emergency quarantine system.

Starting from Suncheon Bay, Jeollanam-do on the 20th of last month, three cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza were detected in wild birds nationwide until the 4th of this month.

Then, on the 4th, a highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak occurred at a laying hen farm in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, for the first time on a poultry farm this winter.

As highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed at this farm, which raises about 91,000 chickens, quarantine authorities are strengthening quarantine measures at poultry farms across the country.

Jeju is a region where highly pathogenic avian influenza is detected in wild birds in migratory habitats every year, with 2 cases occurring in 2023-2024, 7 cases in 2024-2025, and 4 cases in 2025-2026.

Since last month, the province has banned outdoor poultry farming and is strengthening quarantine measures for livestock vehicles and those entering the farm.

In addition, we are operating 10 disinfection facilities and assigning 40 public officials to 64 poultry farms to manage the quarantine situation.

Entry to three migratory bird habitats was controlled, and inspections and import restrictions on poultry and related products imported from other regions were also strengthened.

The number of avian influenza tests per farm was also increased, from once a month to once every two weeks for laying hens, breeders, and native chickens, and from once a quarter to once during the breeding period for broiler chickens.

All farms are inspected before shipping.

33 farms vulnerable to quarantine are regularly inspected, and large-scale laying hen farms raising more than 100,000 chickens are subject to special management.

The province asked farms to strictly follow basic quarantine rules, such as controlling visitors and vehicles, prohibiting entry into migratory bird habitats, and disinfecting livestock sheds.

Kim Young-jun, director of Jeju Island's Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Bureau, said, "Following the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds, it also occurred at a laying hen farm in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, and is a serious situation in which it could enter the farm at any time. As the most reliable preventive measure is for farmers to strictly follow basic quarantine rules themselves, we ask that farmers, producer groups, and the administration work together to be alert and protect Jeju cleanly."