South Korea : Fresh Bird Flu Outbreak Leads to Cull of 50,000 Chickens

Via Chosun Ilbo, excerpt :

" A fresh case of bird flu has been reported at a farm in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed Sunday. This leaves Gangwon and Jeju as the only provinces still free of the virus.

Quarantine authorities in North Gyeongsang Province confirmed that the farm in Gyeongju acquired 6,700 chickens from a farm in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, where the highly pathogenic strain was detected last Tuesday.

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency found the virus in droppings at the farm. Local quarantine authorities have started culling 500,000 chickens at this and nearby farms."

South Korea : 1st Cholera Patient Confirmed This Year

Via The Chosun Ilbo :

" A Korean national has been diagnosed with cholera after becoming infected during a visit to India early this month.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday one traveler who visited Delhi and Varanasi on July 2-8 showed symptoms of the disease. The patient tested positive for the V. cholerae 01 Ogawa virus at the Incheon Airport National Quarantine Station, the KCDC added.

The airport quarantine station sent a list of 10 people who traveled with the patient to regional public health centers to prevent the spread of the disease.

The KCDC urged travelers to India, Southeast Asia, and Africa to wash their hands well after using the toilet or before meals, drink boiled or bottled water, and eat fully cooked seafood to prevent waterborne infectious diseases."

South Korea : Foot-and-Mouth, Bird Flu Spread

Via The Chosunilbo, excerpt :

" A foot-and-mouth disease epidemic that started in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province in late November has now spread to 50 small cities and towns in five provinces, with a total of 128 separate outbreaks reported until Monday.

Nearly 2 million livestock have been culled, including some 132,000 heads of cattle and 1.85 million pigs. Compensation payments for affected farm households have risen to W1.2 trillion (US$1=W1,119).

The previous record of culled livestock was 160,155 in 2002. With the disease continuing to spread, the government last Thursday started to vaccinate all cattle and pigs nationwide, which has slowed the spread. There were no reports of suspected new cases on Sunday."