Bird Flu in Japan Third Outbreak Confirmed

Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS
Article Date: 29 Feb 2004 - 0:00 PDT


Chickens were transported from a suspect farm, even though birds in that farm were dying in their thousands.

The new cases consisted of five chickens. They were with 15,500 chickens that were transported for slaughter. They had come from a farm where two birds had initially tested positive for bird flu on Friday.

The cases have been confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture. The cases were in Hyogo, about 450 miles from Tokyo.

A Hyogo livestock official said 'Despite knowing that the number of dying birds was increasing from February 20, the farm still shipped birds to Hyogo on the 25 and 26.'

On 25 and 26 February 9,300 chickens died. During the last ten days 67,000 chickens have died in that farm. On Saturday 39,000 died.

Authorities are looking into whether they can sue the farm for moving chickens while it knew that its chickens were dropping like flies.

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