Japan culls 37,000 chickens after third bird flu outbreak

Japan's Yamaguchi prefectural government Tuesday ordered the culling of 37,000 chickens on a farm after a third bird flu outbreak, media reported Tuesday.

Prefectural officials started work to slaughter some 37,000 chickens at a farm in Nagato, about 275 km north of the city of Miyazaki, where another outbreak occurred Monday, the Japan Times reported.

The prefectural government banned chickens and other domestic poultry, whether dead or alive, within a three-km radius of the Nagato farm from being moved out of the area and dead poultry within 10 km from being shipped outside.

The outbreak followed two recently confirmed cases of highly pathogenic bird flu in Miyazaki prefecture.

According to the Yamaguchi government, 21 chickens died at the Nagato farm Sunday and Monday.

The dead chickens tested positive for influenza in basic tests conducted Monday. The prefectural government announced early Tuesday that a genetic test confirmed the virus was present.