Japan confirms case of disease in poultry farm

A case of bird flu has been discovered in a poultry farm in Japan, authorities in the country have said.

Japan's Ministry of Agriculture confirmed on Tuesday, December 16, that a highly pathogenic H5 strain of avian influenza had been found in three chickens at the farm in the Miyazaki Prefecture.

The discovery of the disease has led officials to cull all the chickens on the farm, about 4000 in number.

Operators of farms near the affected facility have also been warned to restrict the movement of their livestock.

The Miyazaki Prefecture is Japan's top producer of broiler chickens but there is believed to be no risk of the virus spreading to humans through consumption of chicken eggs or meat.