Korea confirms new H5N8 bird flu outbreak

The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said on November 30 that South Korea had confirmed an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza strain H5N8 at a duck farm in the southwestern part of the country.

The OIE quoted a source from the Korean Ministry of Agriculture as saying that an outbreak of bird flu in the town of Girin-ri, in North Jeolla province, killed 19,000 ducks.

Slaughter of infected poultry in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. (Artwork: Yonhap/VNA)

About 392,000 chickens and ducks at six farms have been culled to prevent the spread of the disease, the Agriculture Ministry said.

This is the first time in about 2 years and 8 months that avian influenza strain H5N8 broke out at a poultry farm in Korea. Earlier, last October, authorities detected this strain of flu in a test sample of wild bird droppings in Cheonan, 92km from Seoul.

After detecting a case of avian influenza H5N8 at the above duck farm, the Korean authorities immediately raised the alert level for the occurrence of this highly virulent strain of avian influenza to severe, according to which the take measures to prevent the spread of the virus. Disinfection has been actively implemented in migratory bird habitats, roads or streams near the farm where the bird flu case was recorded.

In addition, in the time when the migratory bird season is approaching, the Korean quarantine agency has planned to carry out 4 thorough disinfection rounds, starting from November 30 in small reservoirs, streams and roads near 57 poultry farms across the country.

Besides South Korea, in recent days, a number of countries around the world have continuously recorded cases of avian influenza H5N8.