(UPDATED)
# 1287
We haven't heard much out of South Korea these past few months. Exactly what strain of `bird flu' this latest outbreak stems from isn't revealed in this report. Hopefully we'll get more details in the next few days.
S.Korea reports new low pathogenic bird flu case
SEOUL, Nov 24 (Reuters) - South Korea's agriculture ministry said on Saturday it had discovered less virulent strain of bird flu at a poultry farm in the south west of the country.
The ministry plans to cull 13,000 fowl, including 3,800 ducks infected by the virus, in a bid to prevent the spread of the strain of bird flu.
The latest case occurred at a a poultry farm in Gwangju, South Jeolla province, about 250 km from Seoul.
South Korea has had seven outbreaks of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu from last November to March, spending 58.2 billion won ($62.56 million) in quarantine. ($1=930.3 Won) (Reporting by Kang Shinhye; editing by Louise Heavens)
UPDATE: 1230 Hrs EDT
South Korea Confirms H7 Type Of Bird Flue Outbreak; H5N1 Virus Not Involved
(RTTNews) - On Saturday, the Agriculture Ministry said that a bird flu outbreak has struck a duck farm in southern South Korea, the first outbreak in eight months, but the deadly H5N1 virus was not involved.
On a customary condition of anonymity citing office policy, a ministry official said that quarantine workers have slaughtered about 17 thousand ducks at a farm in Gwangju, about 330 kilometers southwest of Seoul. The official added the virus that caused the latest outbreak is the H7 type that is "low pathogenic" and does not spread to humans.
The ministry official noted that the latest outbreak does not affect South Korea's status as bird flu-free country as it involves a "low pathogenic" virus.
