South Korea reports new bird flu case at poultry farm, total now at 34 (File Image Credit: Yonhap/IANS)
Seoul, January 9 (IANS): South Korea has confirmed an additional case of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a poultry farm, bringing the total number of cases this season to 34, officials said Friday.
The latest case was found at a duck farm in Naju, about 285 kilometers south of Seoul, where some 27,000 ducks are raised, according to the Central Disaster Management Headquarters, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Authorities have restricted access to the farm, begun culling the birds, and are investigating the case.
The virus has now spread to more than 20 cities and counties, raising concerns about further infections.
To detect cases at an early stage, authorities plan to conduct intensive inspections of breeder duck farms and hatcheries across the nation, officials said.
On Wednesday, South Korea's agriculture ministry said that South Korea will import 2.24 million fresh eggs from the United States this month to help stabilize domestic egg prices amid the recent spread of highly contagious avian influenza (AI).
The eggs will be purchased by the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corp., and distributed to supermarkets and food ingredient suppliers here, according to South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
It will mark the first time in two years for South Korea to purchase US-produced eggs. Seoul last imported US eggs in January 2024, a ministry official said.
The move is part of a preemptive measure against a potential egg supply shortage, as the country has been coping with the spread of highly contagious bird flu in recent months.
Since the start of the cold season, more than 4.32 million laying hens have been culled at farms affected by AI, according to the ministry.
The ministry said the country's egg supply currently remains stable, with the number of laying hens growing 1.2 per cent from a year earlier as of end-2025, though its daily egg production dropped 1.1 per cent to 49 million over the cited period.
--IANS
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