South Korea's Bird Flu Cases Climb to 21 with Three New Outbreaks

South Korea's poultry industry is on high alert as three new cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza were confirmed at farms on Wednesday. The latest discoveries bring the total number of outbreaks this season to 21.

According to the Central Disaster Management Headquarters, the cases were identified at a chicken farm in Anseong, about 65 kilometers south of Seoul, a duck farm in the southwestern county of Gochang, and another duck farm in the city of Naju.

Swift Containment Measures Underway

Authorities have moved quickly to contain the spread. They've restricted entry to the affected farms, begun culling animals as a preventative measure, and are conducting investigations to trace the source of the outbreaks.

A temporary standstill order has also been issued for farms and farming-related vehicles in the affected regions. Further inspections are planned for all duck farms affiliated with the two infected ones, as well as every duck farm in North Jeolla Province, where Gochang is located. Agriculture ministry officials have been dispatched to Anseong and the nearby city of Cheonan, where the risk of additional cases is considered high.