S. Korea adds 2 more cases of highly pathogenic bird flu
Health officials prepare to cull chickens at a farm in Naju, South Jeolla Province, Thursday, where a H5N8 strain of avian influenza pathogen was found. Yonhap
South Korea's agricultural authorities on Thursday confirmed two more cases of highly pathogenic bird flu amid growing concerns over a prolonged battle against the animal disease.
The latest cases of the H5N8 strain of avian influenza were identified in Chungju, 147 kilometers south of Seoul, and in Naju, 355 kilometers south of the capital city, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
They were the first confirmed avian influenza cases since Feb. 26. South Korea has confirmed 105 cases of bird flu traced to poultry farms since November last year.
The total number of highly pathogenic bird flu cases from wild birds, meanwhile, stayed at 224 as of early Thursday.
South Korea has culled 29 million birds, which resulted in a hike in the consumer price of poultry goods. The average price of eggs jumped 44.9 percent on-year over the past week. (Yonhap)