December 16, 2020

Three more bird flu cases confirmed in South Korean poultry farms

South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has confirmed three new cases of highly pathogenic bird flu at poultry farms, bringing the total bird flu cases in the country to 16, The Korea Herald reported.

The ministry said the H5N8 strain of bird flu was detected in samples from chicken farms in Gumi in North Gyeongsang, 261 km southeast of Seoul, as well as another chicken farm in Imsil County in North Jeolla province, 300 km south of Seoul.

The ministry also said a goose at a farm in Cheonan in South Chungcheong province was confirmed to have a H5 strain of bird flu.

Authorities are culling poultry within a 3km radius of infected farms. A standstill order has been imposed for all nearby farms to prevent the spread of the virus.

- The Korea Herald