TOKYO, Jan 5, (V7N)- Japanese authorities have initiated the culling of 50,000 chickens following a bird flu outbreak at a farm in the northern Iwate region. This marks the 19th bird flu outbreak of the current season in Japan, according to the agriculture ministry.

The farm reported a rise in poultry deaths, and subsequent tests confirmed that bird flu was the cause. As a result, 50,000 chickens have been culled. Additionally, the Iwate government has imposed movement restrictions on 170,000 birds at two other farms within a three-kilometre radius.

A 10-kilometre zone surrounding the infected farm has been established, affecting 3.8 million birds, which are required to remain indoors. Recent outbreaks have also occurred in Iwate and Aichi, leading to the culling of 120,000 and 147,000 birds, respectively. On December 29, a significant outbreak in eastern Ibaraki resulted in the culling of 1.08 million birds.

END/WD/RH/