The Japan Times : declared in 300,000 chickens doomed as bird flu spreads to Miyagi, Chiba

Authorities in Miyagi and Chiba prefectures began culling nearly 300,000 chickens Friday after the highly pathogenic H5 strain of bird flu was detected in dead chickens at local poultry farms. In Japan's latest bird flu outbreak, the Miyagi Prefectural Government plans to cull 220,000 chickens and bury them by early Monday, while the Chiba authority is in the midst of culling 68,000 chickens. According to the Miyagi Prefectural Government, 96 chickens died over three days through Thursday at a poultry farm in Kurihara. The Miyagi and Chiba prefectural governments have restricted the movement of poultry and eggs within 3 km of the affected farms. Miyagi prefectural employees began gathering for the culling late Thursday night.

Feds watchful in Nebraska for bird flu strain that's fatal to humans

There are no cases reported in Nebraska or anywhere in the U.S, but a strain of bird flu that's deadly to humans has already killed 140 people in China. Shere says it's possible migrating wild birds could bring the killer strain over from China which is why vigilance is so important. The USDA's head veterinarian, Dr. Jack Shere, says the agency is preparing to fight the strain should it be found here. "What can I put in place that will prevent the virus or eliminate the virus so I don't bring it into my facility? We have to consider the environment often as contaminated and anything we're bringing into the house has a potential to bring the disease."There were bird flu outbreaks this year in Tennessee and Wisconsin, but federal health officials say the risk to people from those strains is low.


The case comes after a surge in the rate of human infections with H7N9, leading to 161 deaths in China since October. REUTERS/StringerBEIJING China confirmed an outbreak of H7N9 bird flu at a poultry farm in Hunan province in the southern part of the country, according to a Ministry of Agriculture statement on Friday. Laboratory tests confirmed the birds had the H7N9 virus, leading to the culling of 171,179 chickens, said the statement on the ministry's website. Chickens are seen in a livestock market before the market asked to stop trading on March 1 in prevention of bird flu transmission, in Kunming, Yunnan province, China, February 22, 2017. The strain has however evolved into a highly pathogenic strain in some parts of the country, leading to more obvious symptoms in birds.


collected by :Lucy William
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