March 16, 2021

77,000 chickens to be culled in Tochigi, Japan due to bird flu

About 77,000 chickens will be culled in Tochigi prefecture, Japan, after an outbreak of highly pathogenic bird flu was detected at a farm there, ANI news reported.

A 3 km radius quarantine zone has been established from the affected farm, and shipments of eggs and poultry-related products are prohibited within 10 km radius of the farm.

Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said earlier this year that the latest bird flu outbreak in the country had surpassed the record of chickens culled in a single season. 17 out of 47 prefectures in Japan have reported bird flu outbreaks.

The ministry said some 9.7 million domestic poultry have been culled to prevent the spread of the virus.

- ANI News