Bird flu detected in Ibaraki, Japan

Chickens at a farm in Ibaraki Prefecture, which is located near another farm that was earlier hit by bird flu, have tested positive in antibody and gene testing for the virus, the prefectural government and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said late Sunday.

The local government said it has ordered Nakamura chicken farm, which is located near the bird-flu hit Arebamento Kanto farm in the city of Mitsukaido, to cull its 8,500 chickens and to suspend shipping eggs.

The virus seems to be H5N2, a weak strain of avian influenza, first detected at the Arebamento Kanto farm on June 26. Full story here.