Decision No. 05/2007/QD-BNN on amending Decision No. 38/2006/QD-BNN dated May 16, 2006 of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on issuing regulations to prevent and control foot-and-mouth disease in livestock.

 Pursuant to …;

Amending Decision No. 38/2006/QĐ-BNN dated May 16, 2006 of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on the issuance of regulations to prevent and control foot-and-mouth disease in livestock

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on issuing regulations to prevent and control foot-and-mouth disease in livestock

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Pursuant to the Veterinary Law dated April 29, 2004;

Pursuant to Decree No. 33/2005/NĐ-CP dated March 15, 2005 of the Government detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Animal Health Ordinance;
Pursuant to the Law on Legislative Regulatory Documents dated November 12, 1996; and the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Law on Legislative Regulatory Documents dated December 16, 2002;

Pursuant to Decree No. 86/2003/NĐ-CP dated July 18, 2003 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Animal Health.

DECISION:

Article 1: Amend Article 9, Point b, c Clause 3, Clause 5 Article 10, and Article 11 of the regulations on preventing and controlling foot-and-mouth disease in livestock issued together with Decision No. 38/2006/QĐ-BNN dated May 16, 2006 of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development as follows:

"Article 9. Declaration of Disease

1. The Chairman of the People's Committee of the province shall issue a decision declaring a commune to be affected by the disease when the disease appears in one village or more and meets the conditions for declaration of disease as stipulated in Article 17 of the Animal Health Ordinance.

2. The competent veterinary authority shall notify the results of the disease testing at the commune affected by the disease.

Article 10. Control of the Disease Outbreak

1. Isolation and confinement of diseased livestock

Livestock owners must isolate and confine diseased livestock upon discovery and immediately report to the village head or veterinary staff.

2. Verification and diagnosis

Upon receiving the notification, within one day, the veterinary staff of the district must conduct verification and take samples for diagnosis.

3. The Chairman of the People's Committee at commune level shall be responsible for:

a) Direct the village head and veterinary staff to inspect and supervise livestock owners in implementing isolation of diseased livestock from healthy ones, confining cattle, pigs, goats, sheep in stables or fixed locations; assist veterinary staff in taking samples; and compile statistics on the number, species of diseased livestock, households with diseased livestock, and the total susceptible livestock population in the village.

b) Set up temporary animal quarantine checkpoints on main roads entering and exiting the commune affected by the disease and the controlled area, with the participation of veterinary forces, police, self-defense forces... operating 24/24 hours to prevent the movement of livestock and livestock products out of the affected commune. Place warning signs in the affected area and guide traffic to avoid passing through the affected commune. Organize disinfection of vehicles transporting livestock from the affected commune to outside.

c) Implement the destruction of diseased livestock in the commune affected by the disease

- Objectives for destruction

+ Compulsory destruction of all pigs, goats, sheep, deer, and antelopes in the same pen if there are animals showing typical clinical symptoms of the disease without waiting for test results. In cases of doubt, they must be isolated and tested; if the result is positive, they must be destroyed. Destruction of diseased livestock must be carried out under the guidance and supervision of the veterinary authority;

+ Compulsory destruction of cattle and buffalo in the following cases:

* Diseased cattle and buffalo in the first outbreak in the village;

* Diseased cattle and buffalo with a new strain of foot-and-mouth virus or a strain that has not appeared in the province for a long time.

+ For cattle and buffalo not mentioned above, encourage destruction or may retain them but must be strictly managed as follows:

* Mark and maintain records according to the guidance of the Department of Animal Health;

* Isolate them from uninfected herds and monitor their health regularly, enhancing care and feeding;

* They can be slaughtered and consumed within the commune according to the guidance of the veterinary authority;

* They can be transported out of the commune for consumption two years after recovery from clinical symptoms.

- Methods of destruction

+ Burning: dig a pit, place the livestock in the pit, and burn it with wood, charcoal, gasoline, or oil. Then cover with soil and tamp down;

+ Burial: dig a pit of appropriate size based on the number of livestock to be destroyed, place the diseased livestock in the pit, spray disinfectant or sprinkle lime powder on the surface of the livestock, and cover with soil. The distance from the surface of the buried livestock to the top of the burial pit must be at least 1 meter, and the soil must be tightly compacted;

+ Record the location of burning and burial in the commune's ledger and map for retention.

d) Sanitation and disinfection

- At the outbreak site

+ Mechanical sanitation: Collect and dispose of waste and manure from the pens where diseased livestock were kept by burning or burying; wash the floor and tools with soap water. This work is carried out by the livestock owner;

+ Chemical sanitation: After mechanical sanitation, allow it to dry and then spray suitable disinfectants. This work is carried out by the commune's epidemic prevention team.

- Surrounding areas of the outbreak

+ Livestock owners must organize mechanical sanitation of pens and tools, avoiding contact with the affected area;

+ The commune's epidemic prevention team must organize spraying of disinfectants in the livestock breeding areas and sprinkling of lime powder on village paths and alleys.

e) Vaccination to encircle the disease

- Organize vaccination of cattle, buffalo, goats, sheep, sow, boar in the controlled area, starting from the outer areas moving inward. After 14 days of vaccination, vaccinate susceptible animals in the disease-affected area but not yet sick; do not vaccinate animals that have recovered from clinical symptoms (in cases where they are not destroyed).

- Mobilize vaccination personnel and provide support for vaccination; those directly involved in vaccination must be veterinary staff or trained personnel.

- The provincial Animal Health Service will guide, manage, and supervise the vaccination process.

4. The Chairman of the People's Committee of the district, authorized by the People's Committee of the province, may issue a decision to destroy diseased livestock based on the government's support policy after receiving a written request from the provincial Animal Health Service.

5. It is prohibited to sell infected livestock and livestock products; exhibitions, tours, and recreational activities are not organized in the commune affected by the disease.

6. Reporting system: during the period of the disease, lower-level People's Committees are responsible for reporting daily to higher-level People's Committees, and lower-level veterinary authorities are responsible for reporting daily to higher-level veterinary authorities until the decision to declare the end of the disease is made;

Immediately upon the occurrence of the disease, the provincial Animal Health Service must inform neighboring provinces' Animal Health Services to take proactive measures to prevent and control the disease.

Article 11. Control of Transport

The Chairman of the People's Committee of the province shall direct local authorities at all levels and relevant sectors to perform the following specific tasks:

1. Identify villages, communes, and districts with outbreaks to delineate epidemic zones and establish temporary quarantine checkpoints manned 24/7, equipped with signs and traffic guidance; prohibit the movement of infected animals and their products out of the affected commune. At these checkpoints, there must be disinfection equipment to process all individuals leaving the affected commune;

2. Prohibit the transport of animals infected with Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) and their products out of the affected commune.

3. Animals not suffering from FMD and animal products derived from such animals may be transported under the following circumstances:

a) Animals and animal products in controlled areas may be transported for consumption within the district;

b) For transportation for consumption within the province:

- Animals and animal products in buffer zones;

- Animals and animal products from breeding facilities recognized as FMD-safe in controlled areas.

c) For transportation out of the province for consumption:

- Animals and animal products outside buffer zones;

- Animals and animal products from breeding facilities recognized as FMD-safe in buffer zones."

Article 2. This Decision shall take effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 3. The Director of the Department of Animal Health, heads of related units, and Directors of Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development directly under the Central Government are responsible for implementing this Decision./.