SEOUL, Jan 5 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- The South Korean government will implement a set of special quarantine measures this month to prevent the further spread of avian influenza (AI), officials said on Monday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Central Disaster Management Headquarters (CDMH) said 32 cases of highly contagious AI have been confirmed at poultry farms and 22 cases among wild birds since the cold season started.
The latest case was confirmed at a farm in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, on Monday.
Provincial authorities have dispatched an initial response team to the farm to restrict access, conduct epidemiological investigations and implement emergency containment measures.
In particular, three strains of bird flu viruses — H5N1, H5N6 and H5N9 — have been reported this winter, marking the first time in the country’s history that more than two strains of AI have been confirmed simultaneously. The CDMH said the H5N1 strain has been confirmed to be at least 10 times more infectious than in previous years.
In light of the situation, authorities will dispatch quarantine officials to 539 layer farms raising more than 50,000 laying hens nationwide over the next two weeks to conduct intensive inspections.
Authorities also plan to strengthen disinfection efforts on roads near migratory bird habitats and poultry farms, and conduct random inspections of farming vehicles entering farms.
-- BERNAMA-YONHAP
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