Year-round Monitoring for Bird Flu Begins in South Korea

South Korea will start year-round monitoring for bird flu after this year's outbreak -- the country's worst -- began later than normal, the agriculture ministry said Tuesday.

The South Korean agriculture ministry said Tuesday that it will start year-round monitoring of bird flu in the country.

It said migratory and resident wild birds would be monitored regularly and all chicken and duck farms would be inspected every other week for both the virulent and less contagious strains of avian influenza.

Avian Influenza / Bird Flu-Causes-Symptoms-Treatment- FAQs
Bird flu (avian influenza/avian flu) is a disease caused by an influenza virus (H5N1) that primarily affects birds but can infect humans also.

Some 23 monitoring teams will be established nationwide.

Quarantine authorities were caught by surprise when an outbreak began in early April and swept through most of the country.

In the past a heightened bird flu alert was in force from November to March, when migratory birds stay in the country and weather conditions may help spread the virus.

Islamabad Culls Over 6,000 Birds Control Bird-flu Outbreak
Authorities have culled more than 6,000 birds to control a new outbreak of avian flu at three poultry farms in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan

The government culled more than eight million birds and the cost of the outbreak was estimated at 264 billion won (259 million dollars).

No confirmed case has been reported since May 12. If no other case emerges, the agriculture ministry will declare South Korea free of the disease in August.

West Bengal Appeals for 'all Possible Help' to Defeat Bird Flu
The Indian state of West Bengal, battling the country's worst outbreak of deadly bird flu, appealed on Saturday to the federal government to send all possible help to defeat the virus.

The ministry said the country's 2,384 duck farms would be watched especially closely because ducks have longer incubation periods and were found to be the main cause of the spread of bird flu.

"Because of this decision, the government will require even small duck farms to be registered so they can be checked," Lee Sang-Kil, head of the ministry's livestock policy bureau, was quoted by Yonhap news agency as saying.

Why Bird Flu Remains Bird Flu Still?
Researchers say they now know why bird flu hasn’t become a major problem fro humans.

Following outbreaks in major cities including Seoul and Busan, a new standard operating procedure would be formulated for urban areas.

The country has been hit by bird flu outbreaks three times. But no South Korean is known to have contracted the disease, even though the H5N1 strain found here has killed more than 240 people worldwide since late 2003.

Source-AFP
RAS/L

Year-round Monitoring for Bird Flu Begins in S Korea

South Korea will start year-round monitoring for bird flu after this year's outbreak -- the country's worst -- began later than normal, the agriculture ministry said Tuesday.