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Thursday, December 9, 2010

South Korea : Single avian flu case in N. Jeolla

An article from Joong Ang Daily :

" In the middle of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, avian flu has been detected in Korea.Avian influenza (type H5N1) was confirmed in a wild bird on Tuesday in Iksan, North Jeolla - the main habitat for migratory birds - putting health officials on alert to prevent the spread of the virus to domestic poultry.

The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said that a blood sample from a mallard in the Mangyeong River was verified to have the virus. The ministry has been conducting annual preventive inspections of 1,600 migratory birds since 2008, when avian flu, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza A (HPAI), swept the country. As the virus was not detected from a poultry farm, Korea’s avian influenza-free status is intact.

“There is no impediment to exporting poultry even though HPAI was found in a wild bird,” said a ministry official. The ministry is stepping up disinfection work to keep the flu from spreading to farm-bred poultry. An emergency disinfection of the area around the Mangyeong River is being conducted, and the government established a tight quarantine with a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) radius.

In addition, four mobile quarantine posts have been set up within a kilometer of the epicenter.Around 3.25 million poultry are being raised within the 10-kilometer cordon.

Officials are monitoring birds for sickness and installing nets around farms to keep away wild birds."

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