KAGOSHIMA: The prefectural government of Kagoshima, southwestern Japan, said Tuesday highly pathogenic avian influenza cases are suspected at a chicken farm in the town of Satsuma.
Kagoshima has the largest combined number of egg-laying chickens and broilers in Japan.
This is the prefecture’s first bird flu outbreak at a farm since January 2011. Kagoshima is also the 15th prefecture to report such an outbreak this season.
If the virus is confirmed highly pathogenic avian flu through genetic testing, the prefectural government will entirely cull some 33,000 chickens at the farm to prevent the spread of the infectious disease.
It will also ban the transfer of chickens and eggs from within 3 kilometers of the farm.
There are 41 chicken farms within 10 kilometers of the affected farm. A total of 1.95 million chickens are being raised there.
The Kagoshima government received a report of a possible outbreak from the farm Tuesday morning and obtained positive results through simple virus testing.
JIJI Press