Kyoto, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed at a chicken farm in Kameoka, Kyoto Prefecture, western Japan, the prefectural government announced Thursday, marking the first bird flu case at a poultry farm in the country this season. The prefecture will cull about 200,000 egg-laying chickens at the farm and prohibit the transportation of 300,000 chickens from seven nearby farms within a 10-kilometer radius. On Wednesday, the prefecture’s Nantan Livestock Hygiene Center was informed by the Kameoka farm of an increase in the number of dead chickens. A simple test conducted the same day came back positive for avian flu, which was later confirmed by genetic testing. Kyoto Governor Takatoshi Nishiwaki instructed the prefectural government to immediately implement epidemic prevention measures, such as culling. “We’ll make efforts to provide prompt and accurate information so that producers and consumers are not confused by groundless rumors,” Nishiwaki said. The central government also convened a meeting of related ministers at the prime minister’s office. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said, “We’ll take all possible measures with a sense of urgency, in close cooperation with related ministries and agencies, as well as prefectural governments.” After a meeting of the agriculture ministry’s disease control headquarters to review the processes of chicken culling and disinfection, agriculture minister Arata Takebe told reporters that a bird flu outbreak could happen anywhere in the country. “We ask each farm to carry out early detection, ensure early notification and implement thorough hygiene management,” he said. According to a food price trend survey by the ministry, the average price of a pack of 10 eggs in Japan in October was 312 yen, a record high since the survey began in August 2003. An avian flu spread could further raise egg prices ahead of the year-end high-demand season. “We’ll thoroughly implement measures to prevent a spread (of bird flu) so as not to affect supply and demand,” Takebe said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
