AUTHORITIES in South Korea imposed a 48-hour nationwide ban on the movement of poultry last week after bird flu was detected there.

The asian country confirmed the outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian flu virus at a duck farm at Gochang, 300 kilometres south west of Seoul, and subsequently banned all movements of poultry after around 12,300 ducks were culled.

According to South Korea’s Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Kim Yung Rok, the ban also extended to movement of poultry farm vehicles and workers: “The highest-level preventive measures have been taken against all poultry farms and other related facilities nationwide.”

According to officials, the outbreak of this H5N6 strain was the country’s first bird flu outbreak this winter. However, South Korea’s worst ever bird flu outbreak was experienced between last November and this March, with millions of chickens and ducks culled to contain the spread.

It led to a national shortage of eggs and wiped out a high percentage of the country’s poultry flock. However, no human infections have been reported.

Minister Kim Yung Rok also said all farms, vehicles and shops that sold chickens and ducks will be thoroughly disinfected.