Japan’s Saitama reports 1st bird flu outbreak this season

TOKYO, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) — An outbreak of avian influenza has been confirmed at a duck farm in Japan’s Gyoda city, Saitama prefecture, marking the season’s first outbreak in the region.
The outbreak was identified after multiple ducks were found dead on Sunday and genetic testing confirmed the presence of the virus by Monday morning.
In response, some 2,500 ducks at the farm were culled to prevent the spread of the virus.
Authorities have established a 3-kilometer movement restriction zone around the farm, limiting the transport of birds and eggs, and a 10-kilometer shipping restriction zone to prevent distribution outside the area.
This marks the 11th case of avian influenza at a poultry farm in Japan this season. ■