Taiwanese authorities have ordered the slaughter of 8,500 geese at five farms in Yunlin and Chiayi; and 7,500 ducks at a farm in Pingtung to try to curb a bird flu outbreak that has already led to the culling of 120,000 chickens at a farm in the southern county of Pingtung. Authorities ordered the cull after samples tested positive for H5N2 (one of the less virulent strains of avian flu) as well as the H5N8 strain.
Chang Su-san, head of the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, said, "This (H5N8) has never been discovered in Taiwan before, it probably could be brought to Taiwan by migratory birds."
Bird Flu
Bird flu (avian influenza/avian flu) is a disease caused by an influenza virus (H5N1) that primarily affects birds but can infect humans also.
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Other farms were asked to strengthen nets to prevent contacts between poultry and wild birds. In the past few years, the island has reported several outbreaks of H5N2.
Source: Medindia
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