Bird flu cases confirmed at Miyagi, Chiba farms

March 24, 2017

TOKYO- Miyagi and Chiba prefectures said Friday they have confirmed that chickens at local farms were infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza.

One of the two farms is in the city of Kurihara in Miyagi, northeastern Japan, where some 220,000 birds are raised. The other one is in the city of Asahi in Chiba, eastern Japan, where around 68,000 birds are raised.

The two prefectural governments requested the dispatch of Self-Defense Forces troops for help to cull all of the chickens at the farms in order to contain the bird flu. Culling has already started.

They are the 11th and 12th bird flu cases that have been confirmed at domestic poultry farms this winter. Jiji Press