Highly Infectious Bird Flu Detected in Japan
Japan’s Broadcasting Corporation announced on Saturday the detection of the first case of highly infectious bird flu, H5N1, in the southern part of the country this season.
The report quoted officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, who were not identified, saying that the local government in Saga Prefecture would cull about 40,000 birds on the farm.
The agency stated that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida would meet with relevant ministers in the government to discuss necessary measures to prevent the virus from spreading.
The report noted that the discovery of the virus resulted from genetic tests conducted after finding some dead poultry on the farm on Friday.
The highly infectious bird flu virus has spread globally in recent years, leading to the culling of hundreds of millions of birds.
In Japan, a record number of poultry, 17.7 million birds, were culled last season, prompting authorities to remain on high alert.
