Bird Flu Outbreak

[Anchor Lead]

The H7 strain of avian influenza has been found in the feces of wild birds, prompting quarantine authorities to conduct a further investigation. Here’s the latest development in what is now the country’s worst ever bird flu outbreak.

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The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said the H7N7 strain of bird flu has been found recently in wild bird feces in Sacheon, Gyeongsangnam-do Province. The H7N7 strain hit the Netherlands in 2003. At the time, some 80 people contracted the virus. Most of them developed mild respiratory symptoms, but one veterinarianin his fifties died from the infection. However, the Health Ministry asserts that the H7N7 strain that has been found in Korea this time is low-pathogenic and poses no serious threat. On November 17th, the H7N2 strain of avian influenza was detected in wild bird feces in Buan-gun County, Jeollabuk-do Province. This strain was also found to be low-pathogenic. However, quarantine authorities have launched an in-depth investigation to prepare for a high possibility of the highly-pathogenic strain H7N9 entering the country following the detection of the H7 strain in multiple locations. Unlike other types of the H7 strain, the H7N9 strain can cause pneumonia in humans. It killed more than 300 people in Hong Kong and Canada, but no cases of this deadly strain have been reported in Korea.