The key facts

  • At the farm in Incheon, 41 of 91,000 birds fell ill; the entire flock was culled
  • No cases of human infection with H5N9 have been recorded
  • Until November 17, a nationwide disinfection week for farms and transport is underway in the country

Outbreak at a duck farm in Incheon

South Korean sanitary authorities culled nearly 91,000 poultry after an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N9 at a broiler duck farm near the border with North Korea. This was reported by the Yonhap news agency citing the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

Scale of the infection and measures taken

The poultry farm in the city of Incheon in Gyeonggi Province held about 91,000 birds, of which 41 fell ill. As a precautionary measure, it was decided to cull the entire flock. No cases of human infection with the H5N9 virus have been reported.

Nationwide inspections and disinfection

South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture announced inspections of all duck farms — first in Gyeonggi Province, then across the country. In addition, a nationwide disinfection week for farms, livestock facilities and vehicles will be held in the country until November 17.

Government response

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo made a public statement, urging residents to strictly observe quarantine measures to prevent the spread of the infection between farms. According to her, she will soon receive a report on the situation from the relevant agencies and share the findings with the public.