Bird flu worries increase in South Korea

South Korean agriculture officials boosted the country's bird flu risk level to 'orange' this week after recent outbreaks on poultry farms.

It is the second-highest risk level in South Korea's alert system, Yonhap News Agency said Wednesday.

Confirmation of an outbreak in Pyeongtaek, about 43 miles from Seoul, has raised concerns that bird flu may be spreading nationwide, Yonhap said. Officials said there were 20 confirmed cases of bird flu and another 16 that are under investigation.

Agriculture officials said it will be conducting year-round blood serum blood testing at poultry farms to detect any signs of bird flu infection. The government also plans to increase penalties against anyone who breaks quarantine rules.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International

Related stories:

Indonesian villagers test negative for bird flu: health ministry
Thirteen people in Indonesia suspected of having bird flu have tested negative for the feared disease, the country's health ministry said Saturday.
Indonesia probes bird flu 'outbreak'
Indonesia has rushed a team of specialists to a village in Sumatra to confirm a suspected outbreak of bird flu which has affected at least 13 people, a health official said Thursday.
SKorea cat had bird flu: officials
A cat found dead in a South Korean city was infected with a virulent strain of bird flu, the first mammal in the country known to have had the H5N1 virus, health officials said on Tuesday.
Researchers identify potential new drug candidates to combat 'bird flu'
As the specter of a worldwide outbreak of avian or "bird flu" lingers, health officials recognize that new drugs are desperately needed since some strains of the virus already have developed resistance to the current roster of anti-flu remedies.
British bird flu outbreak 'highly pathogenic': officials
An outbreak of the H7 strain of bird flu at a farm in central England is "highly pathogenic," officials said Wednesday.
Bird flu worries increase in South Korea
South Korean agriculture officials boosted the country's bird flu risk level to 'orange' this week after recent outbreaks on poultry farms.
Scientists create first successful libraries of avian flu virus antibodies
An international group of American and Turkish research scientists, led by Sea Lane Biotechnologies, has created the first comprehensive monoclonal antibody libraries against avian influenza (H5N1) using samples from survivors of the 2005/2006 "bird flu" outbreak in Turkey.
Spread of bird flu strains slowed at some borders
Several strains of the bird flu virus that raged across southern China were blocked from entering Thailand and Vietnam, UC Irvine researchers have discovered.

News discussion:

Medicine & Health news