January 13, 2011

South Korea elevates bird flu alert level to 'orange'

South Korea has raised its bird flu alert level to "orange" to indicate fast spreading of the airborne animal disease through the country, according to the government on Tuesday (Jan 11).

The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the measures are being taken because the virulent strain of avian influenza has spread to four provinces since the first outbreak was confirmed on December 31.

Seoul has a four-tiered alert system with "orange" being the third-highest level just below "red" but higher than "blue" and "yellow" alert postures.

There have been 16 confirmed cases of bird flu so far this winter, although more may be confirmed in the coming months.

"In light of the rapid spreading of the disease there is a need to take more stringent measures," a ministry official said, adding that the farm minister will take charge of bird flu management operations that were headed by a vice minister in the past.

Under the "orange" alert scheme all birds within a kilometre radius of outbreaks will be culled as a precautionary measure, up from 500 metres at the previous level.

Quarantine authorities will also redouble their efforts to ask poultry farmers to protect their birds by carrying out daily decontamination measures and to limit contact with wild birds that may be spreading the disease.

The farm ministry, meanwhile, said earlier in the day that six new bird flu cases have been reported in South Jeolla Province in the country's south-western region.

South Korea has been hit by avian influenza three times previously.

Prior to the recent cases, the last outbreak occurred in April 2008 and resulted in a record 8.46 million birds being culled at a cost of around KRW264 billion (US$237.45 million). Other previous outbreaks took place in the winter months of 2003-2004 and 2006-2007.