Japan’s agriculture ministry confirmed an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a poultry farm in Saitama Prefecture, the 12th case this season and the first in the greater Tokyo region. The affected farm in Ranzan Town, Saitama, houses around 240,000 egg-laying chickens. All birds at the farm will be culled, incinerated, and buried, with strict disinfection measures in place to contain the virus.
The Saitama prefectural government announced enhanced disinfection efforts and movement restrictions on nearby poultry farms to prevent further spread. The agriculture ministry plans to intensify preventive measures and send an investigative team to the affected farm. Japan’s avian influenza season typically spans from autumn to spring, with over 3.65 million chickens culled in the previous 11 outbreaks this season.
Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, primarily affects wild birds and poultry. The World Health Organization notes that while it can infect humans, transmission between humans is rare. Symptoms in humans include fever, cough, and muscle aches, with severe cases potentially leading to pneumonia. The fatality rate for avian influenza among humans is higher than that of seasonal flu infections.
