Avian Influenza confirmed on several duck farms in South Korea

On January 11, 2011, avian influenza was discovered on 6 duck farms in the South Jeolla province of South Korea. This brings the total number of farms in the province to be affected by the disease to 13. Public health officials at the Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry announced that at the 6 farms the suspected cases for bird flu were now confirmed as H5N1 avian influenza. So far 800,000 birds have been culled in an effort to prevent the disease from spreading any farther than it has already. These newly infected farms are closer and closer to the metropolitan areas near Seoul, the capital. While the disease is currently limited to birds, it is possible that as it moves closer to highly populated areas it may jump to humans.

This serves as an update to the earlier findings posted by Diana about H5N1 influenza in South Korea
Source: ProMed (1/11/11)

Tim Wolfe