August 19, 2005

Japan's Saitama prefecture hit by bird flu

Japan's eastern Saitama prefecture has been hit by the bird flu virus, following the recent outbreaks in Ibaraki prefecture, according to the country's government.

Chickens at a farm in Konosu, Saitama, had tested positive for the H5 type of bird flu. But the government said it was likely to be a low pathogenic strain because no mass deaths have occurred at the farm.

Meanwhile, studies were still being made to determine the virus's subtype.

In response, local authorities decided to cull the farm 's 98,300 chickens and ban the transfer of chickens and eggs within 5 kilometres from the farm.