Quarantine declared at Sakhalin’s largest poultry farm due to bird flu

Quarantine was introduced on the territory of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and two villages of the neighboring Aniva urban district due to the detection of bird flu at JSC Ostrovnaya Poultry Farm. This is stated in the decree (.pdf) Governor of the Sakhalin Region, published on the website of the regional government.

The quarantine was introduced yesterday, February 9, and is valid “until the expiration of 21 calendar days after the slaughter of the last bird,” follows from the document. The territory of the Ostrovnaya poultry farm, located in the regional center, is recognized as an epizootic focus. The territory within a radius of 5 km from the boundaries of the outbreak is defined as a threatening zone. A surveillance zone has also been introduced within a radius of 10 km from the borders of the threatened zone (includes the villages of Troitskoye and Novotroitskoye). The mayor of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk was recommended to introduce an emergency situation in the urban district, as well as establish a municipal level of response.

The Ostrovnaya poultry farm belongs to the Ministry of Property of the Sakhalin Region and is the main supplier of eggs in the region. On February 3 and 4, a massive mortality of birds was recorded at Ostrovnaya. Samples of material taken from the factory gave positive results for avian influenza virus type “A,” Interfax writes. Since February 7, the poultry farm has temporarily stopped selling eggs and meat products.

This is not the first time bird flu has been detected at Russian enterprises. In Bashkiria in 2023 after an outbreak of bird flu destroyed more than 3 million chickens. This week in the Volgodonsk district of the Rostov region also was introduced quarantine due to bird flu.

Laura Keffer