S. Korea issues nationwide standstill order on poultry farms amid bird flu cases

Officials prepare to cull birds at an egg farm in Yeoju, 105 kilometers south of Seoul, last Tuesday. Yonhap via The Korea Herald/Asia News Network

SEOUL — South Korea issued a 24-hour standstill order on Sunday on all poultry farms across the country following a series of highly pathogenic bird flu cases.

Until Sunday, all poultry farms and livestock production facilities, including their vehicles and personnel, will be subject to the movement ban, with disinfection work to be carried out during the period, authorities said.

It was the second time this month that a nationwide standstill order was issued over bird flu cases. On Dec. 12, a 48-hour standstill order was issued.

Violators of the order could face up to one year in prison or a fine of 10 million won ($9,000).

Last week, South Korea confirmed three more cases of highly pathogenic bird flu in poultry, raising this year’s total caseload to 22 amid growing concerns over the disease spreading across the nation.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said it has identified avian influenza of the H5N8 strain at a fowl farm in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, just south of Seoul.

The country has culled about 6.3 million poultry as farm-related H5N8 infections have been reported across the nation since late November. Yonhap