Standstill order issued in Gyeonggi, central regions amid bird flu outbreak
Health workers cull chickens at a farm in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on Dec. 17 after a H5-type avian influenza virus was found from the farm's chickens. Yonhap
South Korea's agricultural ministry said Wednesday it has issued a standstill order in Gyeonggi Province that surrounds Seoul, along with the central city of Sejong and adjacent provinces of Chungcheong, due to a series of highly pathogenic bird flu cases identified from poultry farms.
The 24-hour order, which will run through 1:00 a.m. Thursday, will ban travel of all livestock, workers and automobiles working for poultry farms in the regions, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Violators of the standstill order will face up to one year in prison or fines of 10 million won (US$9,000).
The measure came a day after an egg farm in Yeoju, 105 kilometers south of Seoul, reported the country's 19th farm-related highly pathogenic avian influenza case.
Officials also launched investigations after suspected cases were reported from a duck farm in North Chungcheong Province, along with another egg farm in Hwaseong, which also lies south of the capital city.
South Korea reported this year's first highly pathogenic avian influenza case from wild birds in late October. A total of 33 cases were confirmed from wild bird habitats across the country. (Yonhap)