S. Korea reports additional avian influenza cases, total at 46

Seoul, April 5 (IANS) South Korea has confirmed additional cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza, raising the total number of infections for the current season to 46, the government said on Saturday.

According to the Central Disaster Management Headquarters, the latest outbreaks were reported at poultry farms located in the central cities of Cheongju and Asan.

In response, authorities have dispatched initial response teams to the affected farms to control access, conduct culling operations and carry out thorough epidemiological investigations.

To prevent further spread and ensure early detection of potential infections, the government is conducting intensive inspections.

Meanwhile, South Korea confirmed four additional highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) cases in less than a week, the agriculture ministry said earlier this week.

The four cases were reported at poultry farms in three adjacent cities in the central region -- Cheonan, Sejong and Cheongju -- since Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The latest case broke out at a poultry farm in Sejong, which has some 89,000 chickens.

The country reported its first outbreak for the season on October 29.

Authorities said they have been taking necessary measures to prevent further spread of the virus, asking livestock industry workers across the nation to sterilize their farms, facilities and cars by Wednesday.

The ministry said the latest AI cases are expected to have limited impact on the domestic supply of eggs, but will continue to monitor the situation.

Some 1.8 percent of 77.6 million chickens at poultry farms nationwide have been culled since late October due to the bird flu, according to the ministry.

Avian influenza antigens of the H5 strain was earlier detected in a dead wild mammal in the first case reported in South Korea. The bird flu antigens were detected in the body of a wild leopard cat found near a reservoir in the southwestern county of Hwasun, 277 kilometers south of Seoul.

--IANS

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