Bird Flu Spreads in Japan's Aichi

Nagoya, Jan. 10 (Jiji Press)--A series of avian influenza outbreaks has hit poultry farms in the central Japan prefecture of Aichi, where the prefectural government announced newly confirmed infections for the second straight day Friday.

The prefecture confirmed infections of highly pathogenic bird flu at two poultry farms in the city of Tokoname. About 177,000 laying hens raised at the two locations will be culled.

The cases mark the 23rd and 24th at farms in Japan this season. The city has seen a series of outbreaks since the start of the year. The Aichi government convened an emergency meeting to enhance vigilance.

In the two cases confirmed Friday, a local livestock hygiene service center received reports of increases in dead chickens from the poultry farms Thursday.

Simple testing yielded positive results, which were later confirmed through genetic testing.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]