TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Authorities in Miaoli County have uncovered an illegal operation involving the burial of chickens that died due to avian flu in Houlong Township (後龍鎮). Officials completed excavation, removal, and disinfection at the site by Thursday (Jan. 29), which they linked to a poultry farm in Taichung City. The discovery followed a report on Jan. 26 of 235 dead chickens discarded in a drainage ditch in Houlong Township.
The Taichung City government provided information indicating that the suspect admitted to transporting 1,150 dead chickens to private land in Houlong Township for burial. Officials confirmed the burial site and conducted excavation and disinfection measures. Upon excavation, authorities found 1,216 dead chickens, bringing the total cleared, including those from the drainage ditch, to 1,451 — a discrepancy from the initially reported numbers.
Officials noted that the chickens from both the burial site and the drainage ditch shared similar physical characteristics and ages. Miaoli County will continue collaborating with relevant agencies to investigate, with the landowner facing separate legal proceedings. The Animal Care and Health Office (苗栗縣動防所) conducted comprehensive sampling within a 3-kilometer radius of surrounding poultry farms, and all test results returned negative, indicating effective control of the outbreak risk.
Authorities have urged the public to remain calm and report any unusual poultry deaths to the Animal Care and Health Office at 037320049. They emphasized the importance of safeguarding industry safety and public health. Avian flu is widespread among birds worldwide and is spreading to local farms. Humans can contract avian flu, with the World Health Organization reporting 481 infections resulting in 319 deaths worldwide by December 2025.