The Korea Herald

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S. Korea reports 3 additional avian influenza cases from wild birds

By Yonhap

Published : April 2, 2021 - 13:48

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Avian influenza (Yonhap) Avian influenza (Yonhap)
South Korea's agriculture ministry said Friday that three additional avian influenza cases tied to wild birds have been reported in the country over the past seven days amid signs of a possible letup in the transmission of the disease among local farms.

Since October last year, the country has reported a total of 232 cases of the H5N8 strain of bird flu from wild birds, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

By region, Gangwon Province accounted for 62 cases, followed by Gyeonggi Province that surrounds Seoul with 43.

The ministry said the number of cases from the wild remained nearly flat over the past week as migratory birds moved back to the north amid warm weather.

Still, experts warned that the central region may experience more cases for the time being as migratory birds temporarily settle in the area on their way back home.

Cases tied to poultry farms, meanwhile, came to 108 since November 2020. The latest infection was confirmed on March 25. (Yonhap)