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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Japan : Bird flu detected in 2 wild duck corpses at Fukushima reservoir

Via The Mainichi Daily News :

" KORIYAMA, Fukushima : Highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu has been detected in the corpses of two migratory wild ducks found at a reservoir here, prefectural authorities announced on Jan. 19.

From Jan. 4 to Jan. 10, the prefecture gathered seven bird corpses from the reservoir and sent them for testing at the National Institute for Environmental Studies in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture. Four of the corpses tested positive for Type-A influenza, and further investigation at Hokkaido University in Sapporo found that two had the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu. The other two are still being investigated.

The prefecture set up a response center on Jan. 19 and on the morning of Jan. 20 began sending inspectors clad in protective suits to 59 poultry farms in a 10-kilometer radius area under supervision that includes neighboring towns. The inspectors are interviewing farmers, looking for signs of contagion such as changes in the death or egg-laying rates of chickens, and checking that farms have anti-contagion measures in place such as nets to keep out wild birds and supplies of disinfectant on hand."

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