The government of Hokkaido prefecture in northern Japan has ordered the culling of nearly 460,000 laying hens after confirming an outbreak of bird flu at a farm for the first time this season, NHK reported.
The report noted that deaths of birds were discovered at a farm in the city of Shiraoi in the southern prefecture. Analysis showed that the birds were infected with bird flu, after which authorities decided to cull approximately 459,000 birds to prevent the spread of the disease. About 120 people were hired for the culling. Authorities expect the process to be completed by October 30, with an additional three days needed to disinfect the poultry farm where the flu was detected. Authorities have also banned the export of chickens and eggs from four other farms within a 10-kilometer radius of the outbreak.
About 8% of all laying hens in the prefecture are subject to destruction. At an emergency meeting on disease response measures, Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki asked the administration to disseminate information that chicken meat and eggs already in circulation are safe. He also called for the establishment of a clear system to prevent the spread of the disease.
Avian flu was first detected in Hokkaido Prefecture in 2016, and cases have been confirmed annually since 2022. During the 2023 outbreak, over 20% of all laying hens in the prefecture were culled, leading to a shortage of eggs and a sharp rise in prices.
Avian influenza is an infectious disease caused by strains of the influenza A virus. The disease is widespread worldwide; many species of wild birds easily tolerate the infection, but some, including domestic birds, develop the disease and can be transmitted to humans.