Treyfish
Moderator
2016-12-14 23:22
Jung Min-ho
The government is looking into a chicken farm in Sejong over allegations that it sold chickens and eggs possibly infected with avian influenza to other parts of Korea.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Wednesday, the owner of the farm sent at least 100,000 chickens to Paju in Gyeonggi Province and Yeosu in South Jeolla Province two days before reporting suspected bird flu cases to health authorities, Nov. 26.
About 700,000 chickens were slaughtered later on the farm after many of them were confirmed to have been infected with the H5N6 avian influenza virus.
The ministry has confirmed that some 2 million eggs were also delivered to markets across the country just before the report.
It suspects the delivery of the chickens and eggs may be part of the reason for the rapid spread of the virus across the country.
The ministry is trying to find out whether the farm owner sold chickens and eggs despite the acknowledgment of possible dangers. If the action was deliberate, the person could face up to three years in prison or a maximum fine of 30 million won for violation of the Domestic Animal Infectious Disease Control Law.
At the moment, the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention believes the possibility of human infection from the eggs is very low, though it is not entirely out of the question.
In China, 16 cases of human infections of H5N6 have been reported since 2014. Ten of those died.
After analyzing the H5N6 virus found in China and Hong Kong, the Korean ministry said the virus found here may have a slight genetic mutation. Animal tests have been conducted to assess the risks more precisely.
Apart from health concerns, the flu outbreak is fast becoming the worst to hit the economy in recent years. Since the first case was reported on Nov. 16, nearly 14.5 million chickens and ducks have already been culled to contain the virus.
The Hyundai Research Institute has released its analysis that total financial damages to the country may reach 984 billion won ($843 million).
Despite the mass culling, however, the virus is far from being controlled. Chicken and duck farmers are calling for preemptive measures, such as tightening the monitoring of wild birds and hiring more quarantine officers.:tiphat:http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news...16_220194.html
Jung Min-ho
The government is looking into a chicken farm in Sejong over allegations that it sold chickens and eggs possibly infected with avian influenza to other parts of Korea.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Wednesday, the owner of the farm sent at least 100,000 chickens to Paju in Gyeonggi Province and Yeosu in South Jeolla Province two days before reporting suspected bird flu cases to health authorities, Nov. 26.
About 700,000 chickens were slaughtered later on the farm after many of them were confirmed to have been infected with the H5N6 avian influenza virus.
The ministry has confirmed that some 2 million eggs were also delivered to markets across the country just before the report.
It suspects the delivery of the chickens and eggs may be part of the reason for the rapid spread of the virus across the country.
The ministry is trying to find out whether the farm owner sold chickens and eggs despite the acknowledgment of possible dangers. If the action was deliberate, the person could face up to three years in prison or a maximum fine of 30 million won for violation of the Domestic Animal Infectious Disease Control Law.
At the moment, the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention believes the possibility of human infection from the eggs is very low, though it is not entirely out of the question.
In China, 16 cases of human infections of H5N6 have been reported since 2014. Ten of those died.
After analyzing the H5N6 virus found in China and Hong Kong, the Korean ministry said the virus found here may have a slight genetic mutation. Animal tests have been conducted to assess the risks more precisely.
Apart from health concerns, the flu outbreak is fast becoming the worst to hit the economy in recent years. Since the first case was reported on Nov. 16, nearly 14.5 million chickens and ducks have already been culled to contain the virus.
The Hyundai Research Institute has released its analysis that total financial damages to the country may reach 984 billion won ($843 million).
Despite the mass culling, however, the virus is far from being controlled. Chicken and duck farmers are calling for preemptive measures, such as tightening the monitoring of wild birds and hiring more quarantine officers.:tiphat:http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news...16_220194.html