Japan to cull 330,000 chickens after bird flu outbreak in Kagawa prefecture

Japan’s Kagawa prefecture is reportedly planning to cull 330,000 chickens at a farm after an outbreak of bird flu.

Reuters reported that the outbreak was identified in Japan’s poultry sector after more than two years.

Japanese Farm Minister Katora Nogami also confirmed the avian flu breakout was identified at a chicken farm in Mitoyo, Kagawa prefecture, after a preliminary examination for avian influenza were carried out by the officials.

Japanese government officials said that more genetic tests will be performed to verify the intensity pathogenic strain of H5 bird flu.

The prefectural government was notified by the poultry farm on Wednesday about a suspected bird flu outbreak.

According to Kyodo News, nearly 3,800 chickens died in the region within four days.

A bird flu outbreak was reported in January 2018 at a farm in Sanuki city, after which 91,000 chickens at the farm were culled.

In February, the Chinese Government ordered a cull of chickens in Shaoyang after an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu in Hunan province.

As a pre-emptive measure, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said that it culled around 18,000 chickens.

According to a statement released by the ministry, it found avian influenza among chickens on a local farm. The authorities have ordered a cull of 4,500 out of 7,850 chickens present at the poultry farm.

The poultry farm is located in Hunan that is close to Hubei, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak. The virus was first identified at Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan.