January 31, 2011

Japan confirms another avian flu outbreak at Miyazaki farm

Japan has confirmed another case of highly pathogenic H5-type avian flu at another poultry farm in Miyazaki prefecture, bringing the total number of confirmed farm outbreaks to six.

Chickens at the poultry farm in the town of Kawaminami tested positive for the flu virus during simple on-site checks on the night of January 27. A genetic test performed by the prefecture confirmed infection by an H5-type virus around dawn, January 28. Authorities had already commenced the culling of 31,524 chickens at the farm and an attached processing plant, and had finished the operation by daybreak.

The infected chickens had been transferred from another farm in the neighboring town of Tsuno, and so far three outbreaks of the virus have been discovered at farms in Miyazaki Prefecture alone. Infection was suspected at the Kawaminami farm after examining and testing the corpses of dead chickens there, and authorities decided not to wait for genetic confirmation before beginning the cull.

The bird carcasses will be buried by about 210 prefectural employees and Ground Self-Defense Force troops.