S. Korea confirms 2 more cases of highly pathogenic bird flu
Quarantine officials block a road to a farm in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, on Dec. 8, 2020, due to an outbreak of virulent bird flu there. Yonhap
The government confirmed two more case of a highly pathogenic avian influenza strain in poultry Wednesday, raising the total caseload to 21 amid growing concerns over the disease spreading nationwide.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said it had identified the H5N8 strain of the influenza at a poultry farm in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, just south of Seoul. The farm was raising about 4,700 ducks and 100,000 quail.
This is the 20th bird flu case since the nation confirmed this year's first outbreak of farm-related infections in late November.
Later in the day, the same strain was found at a farm with about 6,000 ducks in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, according to the local government office.
Hundreds of thousands of ducks, chicken and quail within a 3 kilometer radius of the affected farms were culled.
Officials are also investigating suspected cases at an egg harvesting farm in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, and a duck farm in Namwon, North Jeolla Province.
Earlier in the day, the government issued a “standstill” order for Gyeonggi and Chungcheong provinces and the central city of Sejong.
The 24-hour order, which will run through 1 a.m. Thursday, will ban the movement of all livestock, workers and automobiles at poultry farms in the regions.
Violators of the order could face up to one year in prison or a fine of 10 million won ($9,000).
About 6.3 million poultry had been culled as of Tuesday due to farm-related H5N8 infections.
Meanwhile, 35 cases in wild birds have also been confirmed since late October. (Yonhap)