Egypt has vaccinated more than 4.5 million birds and tested samples from over 16,000 poultry farms so far this year. The move is part of a sweeping campaign to safeguard the country's poultry industry and prevent the spread of avian diseases, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday. The campaign, led by the General Authority for Veterinary Services under the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, is part of Egypt's national plan to strengthen biosecurity, ensure early disease detection, and support poultry exports. In just two days, authorities conducted an intensive field survey covering 951 poultry farms with more than 8 million birds, including chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and quail. The infection rate found during the sweep was just 4 per 1,000, the ministry said, indicating a stable epidemiological situation. "The poultry sector is a cornerstone of Egypt's food security," said Hamed El-Aknes, head of the veterinary authority. "We're intensifying efforts on all fronts — vaccinations, surveillance, and biosecurity — to protect it." Boost to Exports The ministry is also pushing to expand Egypt's poultry exports. So far, 37 isolated production facilities have been approved for export by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), with 18 more in the process of certification. Export markets include Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Libya, Uganda, and several Sub-Saharan African countries. Coordinated Field Operations The ministry detailed extensive veterinary operations across several governorates: * In Luxor, inspections found poultry farms in El-Baiadiya free of disease. * In Ismailia, samples were taken from farms before birds enter local markets. * In Damietta, joint veterinary-agriculture teams collected samples for lab testing in Cairo. * A comprehensive sweep of 199 farms in Dakahlia showed no signs of infection. * In North Sinai, 25 farms were cleared with no detected cases. * In Giza, 36 farms with a total of 505,000 birds were deemed biosecure. Vaccination campaigns in Kafr El-Sheikh also proceeded without reports of outbreaks, with 34,450 birds vaccinated in just two days. Rapid Response and Outreach To combat misinformation circulating online about alleged disease outbreaks, the authority launched a national awareness campaign, including farm visits, educational seminars, and instructional videos on biosecurity best practices. A 24-hour hotline (19561) is available to receive reports from poultry farmers and dispatch rapid veterinary teams when needed. The ministry said it will continue publishing regular epidemiological updates "to maintain full transparency with the public and support confidence in the poultry sector," which plays a vital role in national food security and rural livelihoods. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
