Culling of about 310,000 birds began Tuesday at the Niigata farm in Japan and will continue through Friday. Workers wearing hazardous material suits dug holes and dumped dead birds in them to contain the spread of the virus. About 165,000 ducks in Aomori were also being culled. The bird flu outbreaks are the first in nearly two years in Japan and news of the cullings boosted shares in some infection-control product makers.
Bird Flu Outbreak In Japan Started, Culling Also Started
According to Reuters, in Niigata prefecture north of Tokyo, authorities on Tuesday started culling about 310,000 chickens at a farm in the village of Sekikawa after 40 birds were found dead from H5 bird flu. An official said that the cull will continue until December. 2. Further north in the prefecture of Aomori, about 16,500 ducks were being culled in after some tested positive for bird flu.
This is the first time that highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed in Aomori prefecture and first for nearly two years in Japan. As reported by The New York Times, officials restricted the movements of poultry and eggs within 3 kilometers (5 miles) of the infected farms. About 60 chicken farms operate in the neighborhood of the affected farm in Niigata, where about half a million chickens are raised. The farm in Aomori and two other neighborhood operators are specializing in French duck known as "Barbarie."
The suspected bird flu cases have been found in wild birds in those areas since early November. Environment Minister Koichi Yamamoto told reporters that his ministry is sending experts to the areas for investigation, while raising the caution level to the highest level. The Agricultural Ministry has also dispatched an investigative team to both prefectures.
The Bird Flu
Bird flu, or avian flu, is an infectious type of influenza that spreads among birds. In rare cases, it can affect humans. There are many different strains of bird flu virus, most of which don't infect humans. However, two particular strains have caused serious concern in recent years: H5N1 (since 1997) and H7N9 (since 2013). Other bird flu viruses – particularly H7N7 and H9N2, and more recently H6N1, H10N8 and H5N6 – have also infected people, but these have been very rare or only rarely caused severe illness.
