South Korea confirms more cases of deadly bird flu

December 01, 2016 | 10:19

(0) user say

SEOUL: South Korea Wednesday (Nov 30) revealed new cases of a deadly strain of bird flu as authorities said they had slaughtered two million chickens and ducks in a bid to control the outbreak.

South Korean health officials disinfect a vehicle to prevent spread of bird flu in Pocheon, South Korea, November 23, 2016. Kim Myeong-jin/News1 Source: via REUTERS

The H5N6 virus was first confirmed on Nov 18 at a farm in central South Korea and it has since spread to farms around the country, with the total number of cases now standing at 46.

Authorities have stepped up quarantine measures, culling birds and restricting animal movements which are feared to spread the virus.

"We've culled some two million birds and we will slaughter another one million", an agricultural ministry spokesman told AFP.

Health authorities stressed there had been no cases of human infections from H5N6 in South Korea.

However, between 2014 and April 2016, H5N6 killed six people in China, according to the South's Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The World Health Organization warned earlier this year that the strain "has caused severe infection in humans" but added "until now human infections with the virus seem to be sporadic with no ongoing human to human transmission".

AFP/ REUTERS

What the stars mean:

★ Poor ★ ★ Promising ★★★ Good ★★★★ Very good ★★★★★ Exceptional