SEOUL – South Korea's agriculture ministry said today it has confirmed another case of the highly pathogenic H5N8 strain of bird flu in wild bird droppings, raising concerns over the disease’s possible spread to poultry farms.
It marks the fifth outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza this year.
The latest outbreak in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, came just five days after a fourth case broke out in the same area, reported Yonhap news agency according to the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Ministry.
The government banned the entry of people and vehicles within a 500m radius of the location where the fifth outbreak was reported. A transportation ban was issued on farms within a 10km range as well.
South Korea raised its guard against the disease in late October when it found the highly pathogenic H5N8 strain of bird flu near a creek in Cheonan, 92km south of Seoul.
It was the first avian influenza case in the country in 32 months. – Bernama, November 19, 2020
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