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Japan Confirms New Bird Flu Outbreak in Hokkaido, 190,000 Chickens to be Culled

Japan's agriculture ministry has confirmed a highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak at a poultry farm in Hokkaido's Abira town. This marks the 21st such outbreak in the country during the current flu season, leading to the culling of approximately 190,000 chickens. The H5N1 virus, which has caused unprecedented bird deaths globally since 2020, poses a severe risk to humans with a high mortality rate but does not spread easily between people. Authorities are taking containment measures, including incineration and burial of the culled birds.

Key Points: Japan Confirms H5N1 Bird Flu Outbreak at Hokkaido Poultry Farm

  • 21st outbreak this season in Japan
  • 190,000 chickens to be destroyed
  • H5N1 virus has high human fatality rate
  • Virus spread globally since 2020
  • Human transmission remains rare
2 min read

Japan confirms new highly pathogenic bird flu outbreak in Hokkaido

Japan reports its 21st avian flu outbreak this season in Hokkaido, leading to the culling of 190,000 chickens. Learn about the H5N1 virus risks.

"All chickens at the farm will be culled, incinerated, and buried to prevent further spread of the virus. - Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries"

Tokyo, March 6

Japan's agriculture ministry has confirmed an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a poultry farm in Hokkaido, marking the northern prefecture's fourth case and the country's 21st outbreak this season.

The affected farm, located in the town of Abira, keeps about 190,000 chickens, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said in a statement on Thursday.

Local authorities were notified by the farm on Wednesday. A rapid avian influenza test conducted the same day returned a positive result, which was confirmed by genetic testing the following day.

All chickens at the farm will be culled, incinerated, and buried to prevent further spread of the virus.

Japan's avian influenza season typically runs from autumn until the following spring, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the World Health Organization, Avian influenza A(H5N1) is a subtype of influenza virus that infects birds and mammals, including humans in rare instances. The goose/Guangdong-lineage of H5N1 avian influenza viruses first emerged in 1996 and have been causing outbreaks in birds since then. Since 2020, a variant of these viruses belonging to the H5 clade 2.3.4.4b has led to an unprecedented number of deaths in wild birds and poultry in many countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. In 2021, the virus spread to North America, and in 2022, to Central and South America.

Infections in humans can cause severe disease with a high mortality rate. The human cases detected thus far are mostly linked to close contact with infected birds and other animals and contaminated environments. This virus does not appear to transmit easily from person to person, and sustained human-to-human transmission has not been reported.

The WHO highlights that although human cases are rare, the high fatality rate (over 50 per cent in reported cases since 2003) makes it a major concern.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The high fatality rate in humans is scary, even if transmission is rare. 😟 We need to be very careful with imported poultry products. Our food safety standards must be strict. This news makes me think twice about eating chicken for a while.
R
Rohit P
Japan's 21st outbreak this season! That's a lot. Shows how persistent this virus is. The article says it spread to the Americas too. Global cooperation on monitoring and containing such diseases is absolutely essential. No country is an island in this.
S
Sarah B
While the culling of 190,000 chickens is tragic and a huge loss for the farmers, it's a necessary step to prevent a wider catastrophe. The economic fallout for that community will be severe. Hope there is a good compensation and support system in place.
V
Vikram M
A respectful criticism: The article mentions the virus doesn't transmit easily between humans *yet*. Viruses mutate. The focus should be as much on developing better vaccines and treatments as it is on culling. Are we prepared if it becomes more transmissible?
K
Kavya N
This is a reminder for us in India too. Our poultry farms are often very crowded. Biosecurity measures need to be top-notch. Jai Kisan, but also Jai Vigyan. Farmers need proper training and resources to prevent and report such outbreaks early.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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