After the discovery of a new case of avian influenza in South Korea, around 197,000 chickens at a farm close to the capital city were culled, the government reported.
The government has imposed a 48-hour ban on transporting poultry products in the north of the country.
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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‘New case of avian influenza in South Korea led to the culling of 197,000 chickens and a 48-hour ban on the transport of poultry products in the north of the country.’
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The affected farm is located in Pocheon, 45 km north of Seoul, and had recorded the deaths of 30 birds since Tuesday, with preliminary tests showing that they were infected with bird flu, said the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
In order to prevent the virus from spreading, the government decided to cull the birds and inspect farms located within a 3-km radius of the affected site.
![South Korea Detects Fresh Outbreak Of Bird Flu]( "South Korea Detects Fresh Outbreak Of Bird Flu")
South Korea is carrying out epidemiological investigations in the affected farms to determine whether the detected H5 strain was highly pathogenic.
Inquiries were ongoing to determine whether the case involved the same highly pathogenic strain currently affecting the southwest of the country.
The latest case, the first of its kind in the northern province of Gyeonggi, caused alarm among quarantine officials, who have been fighting to contain the expansion of the H5N6 strain in the southwest of the country since November.
In the province of Jeolla, one of the worst affected, the government confirmed that nine farms had been infected by the virulent strain.
About 36,700 birds had been culled in three provinces and disinfection processes were being carried out in farms in the whole region.
After an H5N6 infection was discovered in the area in December, authorities culled 201,000 ducks.
In 2016, South Korea culled more than 30 million birds to contain the worst outbreak of bird flu in the country's history.
Source: IANS
South Korea Detects Fresh Outbreak Of Bird Flu
South Korea is carrying out epidemiological investigations in the affected farms to determine whether the detected H5 strain was highly pathogenic.
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Inquiries were ongoing to determine whether the case involved the same highly pathogenic strain currently affecting the southwest of the country.
The latest case, the first of its kind in the northern province of Gyeonggi, caused alarm among quarantine officials, who have been fighting to contain the expansion of the H5N6 strain in the southwest of the country since November.
In the province of Jeolla, one of the worst affected, the government confirmed that nine farms had been infected by the virulent strain.
About 36,700 birds had been culled in three provinces and disinfection processes were being carried out in farms in the whole region.
After an H5N6 infection was discovered in the area in December, authorities culled 201,000 ducks.
In 2016, South Korea culled more than 30 million birds to contain the worst outbreak of bird flu in the country's history.
Source: IANS
Worst Bird Flu Outbreak in South Korea
South Korea has culled 33.12 million animals till Friday. The number is already more than double the previous record of 13.96 million killed in a 2014 outbreak.
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 Latest Bird Flu Outbreak Almost Under Control: South KoreaThe daily number of cases suspected of bird flu has dropped to one or two, indicating that the contagion is almost under control. | Advertisement
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