April 14, 2008

South Korea confirms fourth bird flu outbreak to be H5N1

South Korea's Agriculture Ministry said a recent outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed as the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus.

The ministry said Sunday that government tests have confirmed the H5N1 strain was what had infected chickens on a farm in Yeoungam, about 236 miles southwest of Seoul.

The ministry said it was the fourth confirmed outbreak of H5N1 in the country.

The South Jeolla provincial government said quarantine workers have culled 470,000 chickens and ducks at 20 farms within a 1.8-mile radius of the site of the outbreak.