Japan has confirmed an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a poultry farm in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima, local media reported on Sunday.
Work to cull some 23,000 egg-laying chickens at the chicken farm in the city of Izumi started on Sunday morning, Jiji Press reported, citing the Kagoshima prefectural government.
A local livestock hygiene center on Saturday morning received a report of an increase in dead chickens from the farm, the report said.
Three of 13 dead chickens showed positive results after a simple virus test. Infection was confirmed on Sunday in a detailed genetic examination, according to the prefectural government.
This marks the fourth bird flu outbreak confirmed at a poultry farm in Japan this season, the report said.
