In light of the domestic spread of bird flu, the Executive Yuan set up an avian influenza response center on January 14, 2015. Frequent contingency meetings have been convened to handle related matters in order to swiftly control the outbreak and ensure economic stability and people’s livelihoods.

Relevant government agencies will release updates on the situation at regular intervals every day. Concrete preventive measures, a consultation hotline, bulletins on avian flu as well as questions and answers on the outbreak will also be conducted to keep the public informed and thus prevent unnecessary panic.

In order to avoid further spread of the disease, the central government is supervising local environmental protection agencies to ensure stringent scrutiny and severe penalization of any arbitrarily disposal of poultry carcasses. In addition, the central government has prepared various means of logistical support and supplied disease-control personnel to assist local governments in cleaning and disinfection.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will closely monitor the possibility of the virus infecting humans and formulate contingency plans in advance.

To keep poultry supplies and prices steady and minimize operators’ losses, the government will initiate market inspections and severely prosecute anyone who commits hoarding or price fixing. Additionally, emergency imports and timely adjustment of tariffs on poultry meats and eggs will be implemented. The government will also subsidize operators incurring losses and assist them in applying for loans. These operators may also enjoy decreased loan interest rates and an extended number of loan installments.

For more information, please visit the following Chinese-language website run by the Council of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine: http://ai.baphiq.gov.tw/Opens in New Window.

Photo courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense