SOUTH Korea has confirmed an outbreak of avian influenza at a duck farm in the southwestern region and culled 76,000 ducks to prevent the spread of the virus, the Yonhap news agency reported the Agriculture Ministry as saying today.

The H5N6 bird flu was discovered on a farm in Yeongam, some 380km south of Seoul, yesterday, said the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Ministry.

It said 76,000 ducks were killed at five duck farms located within a 3km radius of the site to prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus.

The ministry said the latest outbreak had a high probability of being a highly pathogenic strain, noting that it would release the inspection results later in the day.

Quarantine officials issued a transportation ban and stepped up disinfection measures at nearby farms, with in-depth inspections into ducks in the region under way. – Bernama, December 11, 2017.