Bird Flu Case Confirmed in Miyazaki

Miyazaki, Dec. 29 (Jiji Press)--The Miyazaki prefectural government has confirmed a highly pathogenic bird influenza case in the prefectural capital of Miyazaki in southwestern Japan. Chickens at a poultry farm in the city tested positive for H5 subtype avian flu virus in a genetic test after a simple examination produced a similar result following a report of many chicken deaths there, the prefectural government said Sunday night. In accordance with the state-set rules, the Miyazaki government started work to cull some 42,000 chicken raised at the farm. The local government also banned chickens within a radius of 3 kilometers from being moved outside the area and those within 10 kilometers from being shipped outside. In Tokyo, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has instructed relevant agencies to gather information on site, take epidemic preventive measures and ensure rapid information disclosure. In Miyazaki Prefecture, a highly pathogenic bird flu case was confirmed on Dec. 16 at a poultry farm in Nobeoka, at which 4,000 chickens were killed. The Miyazaki government later contacted some 1,000 poultry farms across the prefecture, including the one hit by the latest outbreak, to ask whether there was any sign of other bird flu cases. But no such signs were reported at that time. On Sunday, a prefectural government official said it is uncertain whether the latest case is linked to the Nobeoka one. The two farms are some 90 kilometers apart from each other. END