# 5101
For the first time in more than a year, Japan yesterday announced the detection of what they believe to be the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus on their soil.
While early PCR testing showed H5N1, final laboratory confirmation is still awaited.
The last reported incident before this was in the spring of 2009 when several infected swans were discovered in Aomori Prefecture (see Japan Finds Two More H5N1 Infected Swans).
Today, the Mainichi Daily News is reporting that in the face of this latest outbreak, Prime Minister Naoto Kan has ordered officials to do everything in their power to prevent the further spread of the virus.
Over 20,000 chickens to be culled at bird flu-hit farm in Shimane Pref.
MATSUE (Kyodo) -- The Shimane prefectural government said Tuesday that it plans to begin destroying from the afternoon about 23,000 chickens at a poultry farm in the prefecture suspected of having Japan's first bird flu cases since early last year.
While H5N1 infected chickens represent a potential (but likely small) human health threat, the immediate concern is the containment of this virus before it severely impacts Japan’s poultry industry.
Massive culling of infected flocks and disinfection of farms are the only containment recourse, and enhanced surveillance must now be imposed on poultry operations in Shimane and neighboring prefectures.
Millions of chickens at dozens of farms are to be closely watched in the coming days for signs of H5N1 infection.
Movement of poultry and eggs within 10 kilometers of the infected farm are restricted, and vehicles and personnel entering or leaving the area are subject to decontamination procedures.
As of this writing, I can find no report posted on the OIE website for this outbreak. My assumption is they are still waiting on final test results.
