SEOUL– South Korea has extended an intensive disinfection campaign against avian influenza by one month in the wake of the continued spread of highly pathogenic cases at local farms, the agriculture ministry said Monday.
The special four-week quarantine campaign ended last week, but the ministry extended the period through Jan. 20, which calls for intensified disinfection work at all farms and related facilities twice a day, according to the ministry.
The move came as the country has reported a series of bird flu cases at farms across the country in recent weeks.
Since mid-October, a total of 53 avian influenza cases have been reported, with half of them being added this month alone.
Chances of the virus spreading further are high, as the number of influenza cases among wild birds is nearly six times more this season than those detected a year earlier, and unfavorable weather conditions have hampered disinfection efforts, according to the ministry.
The country also saw about a 10 percent growth in the number of migratory birds this year.
To stem the spread of the virus, the government also decided to shut down poultry facilities across the country every Wednesday for disinfection work and enhance monitoring, the ministry said.
Source: Yonhap News Agency