December 26, 2023

South Korea reports eight cases of H5N6 bird flu outbreak

South Korea has detected eight cases of H5N6 bird flu on farms, resulting in the culling of more than 500,000 poultry, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), Reuters reported.

The highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks occurred between December 5 and December 11, 2023, in villages located in the western part of the country. The WOAH cited information from South Korean authorities.

During the outbreak period, 47 birds succumbed to the virus, prompting the culling of the remaining flocks totalling 513,810 birds. The culling was a preventive measure to contain the spread of the highly contagious avian influenza.

This development follows South Korea's recent report of an outbreak of the H5N1 strain, which has been observed globally, including in countries like Japan and Cambodia in Asia. South Korea had not reported any outbreaks of the H5N6 strain.

Over the past four years, the H5N6 strain has been limited to detections in Asia, as indicated by the WOAH database. The most recent outbreak occurred on a poultry farm in the Philippines in January.

-      Reuters