Source: http://www.dailynk.com/english/read....1502&num=14318


Bird flu outbreak hits North Korea
Seol Song Ah | 2017-01-17 18:06

An outbreak of avian influenza (AI) has been confirmed in Sunchon, South Pyongan Province. Due to the discovery, Ungok Ranch, which is responsible for producing meat for Kim Jong Un and high-ranking cadres, has reportedly been placed on emergency alert for preventive measures.

Although the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper previously ran a story (on December 29, 2016) about the risks associated with AI and preventative countermeasures, there was no mention of an outbreak within North Korea at the time.

"In mid-December, there was an outbreak of diarrhea among the chickens at a farm village near Sunchon City, South Pyongan Province. After conducting a focused investigation, the Sunchon Veterinary Medical Center declared that the illness was due to AI [known informally as bird flu or avian flu] and initiated a quarantine of the Ungok Farm to prevent the virus spreading,? a source in South Pyongan Province told Daily NK on January 5.

The Ungok Ranch occupies a vast tract of land across South Pyongan Province near Anju City and Sunchon City. The farm not only breeds chicken and ducks, but also raises various other types of poultry including pheasant and pigeons, feeding them on special high-quality grasses and weed mixtures. The farm is specially managed by the state to provide high-quality food for Kim Jong Un, his family, and the privileged class in Pyongyang with the objective of improving their longevity and health...