Report: Another Bird Flu Case Hits Japan
Pastor Dale Morgan
Report: Another Bird Flu Case Hits Japan*
The Associated Press
Tuesday, January 30, 2007; 5:27 AM
TOKYO -- A suspected outbreak of bird flu hit southern Japan, a news
report indicated Tuesday, amid growing concern about a string of cases
at the country's poultry farms.
The latest outbreak occurred in the southwestern prefecture of Miyazaki,
which saw two separate bird flu cases earlier this month, Kyodo News
agency reported, citing unidentified government officials.
Officials were separately trying to determine whether the virus that
killed dozens of chickens in the western prefecture of Okayama was the
deadly H5N1 variety.
The H5N1 was pinpointed in the earlier Miyazaki outbreaks, which forced
the slaughter of thousands of chickens in the region.
In the latest suspected outbreak, 23 chickens were found dead and seven
of 13 that were tested showed initial signs of bird flu, Kyodo reported.
Agriculture officials in Miyazaki were not immediately available for
comment.
The H5N1 virus has prompted the slaughter of millions of birds across
Asia since late 2003, and caused the deaths of at least 163 people
worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
Japan has confirmed only one human H5N1 infection, and no human deaths.
The bird flu virus remains hard for humans to catch, but international
experts fear it may mutate into a form that could spread easily among
people and possibly kill millions around the world.