Avian Influenza

[Anchor Lead]

A new type of avian influenza has been discovered, in addition to the strain that is currently spreading nationwide. This has put quarantine authorities on high alert. The government has banned the distribution of live chicken.

[Pkg]

The government has banned distributors from selling live chicken to traditional markets and other sales channels.

[Soundbite] Official, Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs : "Farm vehicles carrying chicken will go to the vendors at traditional markets. Cross-contamination can spur the spread."

Some 18 million chickens and ducks have been culled so far. With just a month since the bird flu outbreak, the scale of damage may well exceed that of the AI outbreak in 2014 that lasted 22 months. To make matters worse, a different type of AI, the H5N8 strain, has been discovered in the wild bird excrement gathered from Anseongcheon Stream in Gyeonggi-do Province. The ongoing AI epidemic involves the H5N6 strain. It's the first time the nation is dealing with two types of AI virus at the same time.

[Soundbite] Prof. Mo In-pil(Chungbuk Nat'l Univ.) : "The H5N8 is less pathogenic than the H5N6. This may make people more likely to overlook signs of infection when it occurs at farms."

The government has mobilized troops and is exerting best efforts to block the spread. However the bird flu outbreak is escalating into the worst case yet in Korea.