Bird flu spreads in South Korea

South Korea health officials have announced that bird flu outbreaks have spread to six of the countries nine provinces.

Blood tests confirmed the presence of the H5N1 strain at a farm 187 miles south-east of Seoul, raising the total number of outbreaks in the country to 23.

Agriculture minister, Kim Chang-sup told the Associated Press that two pheasants from the farm died and later infected two other birds. A further 53 other pheasants, chickens and turkeys have been destroyed together with 63 birds slaughtered at a major amusement park less than a mile from the outbreak site.

During the first outbreak of H5N1 in South Korea during 2003, over five million birds had to be culled and half that number again was destroyed during a second outbreak in 2006 when seven cases were reported.

Xinhau has reported that the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea is taking precautionary measures to prevent the virus spreading over the border from South Korea. Over 1,600 watch posts have been located on the coastal areas of the country covering the main rotes taken by migratory birds.