South Korea is on high alert after signs of extremely infectious H5N8 bird flu after experts found avian influenza strains in wild bird waste. Over the past 32 months, South Korea has been bird flu-free.
The Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement per Reuters that the virus was detected in samples obtained last week from wild birds in Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, about 84km (52.2 miles) west of Seoul.
ROSTOCK, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 28: A pathologist at the state agriculture agency in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Landesamt fuer Landwirtschaft, Lebensmittelsicherheit und Fischerei Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) takes samples from the carcass of a wild duck at the agency lab to test for bird flu on November 28, 2014 in Rostock, Germany. Northern Europe is on high alert after cases of the H5N8 bird flu virus were confirmed in wild fowl and also at poultry farms in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and tens of thousands of animals have already been killed by authorities in an effort to stem the virus from spreading. Authorities believe the virus arrived with migrating birds from Asia.
H5N8 Strain of Bird Flu identified in South Korea
According to a report from the Straits Times, the ministry came up with preventive efforts to control a larger outbreak of bird flu and gave an extremely pathogenic avian influenza alert to avoid elevated chances of transmitting the virus.
Kim Hyeon-soo, Minister of Agriculture, said this is a serious situation where the contaminants will pass through different routes from the migratory bird land to the field. The official also urged the thorough implementation of quarantine measures at the farm, such as the daily disinfection of the farm."
While there are still no records of H5N8 infection in humans, as suggested by NHS UK, the virus can also impact poultry development. Dutch health officials ordered a cull of chickens after a separate bird flu outbreak on Tuesday in the Netherlands.
South Korean Ministry of Agriculture's Response
According to the Korea Herald, H5N8 bird flu is harder to monitor than any other pathogen. Scientists say migratory birds, as possible bird flu carriers, is challenging to detect and regulate.
Over 640 cases of the extreme virus strain have been discovered in 40 countries during the year and experts have warned that the virus would potentially enter Korea this winter.
The Ministry of Agriculture of South Korea has stepped up counter-measures to contain a more widespread outbreak of bird flu strain and lifted the alert over a highly pathogenic avian flu. There are high chances that the illness could spread.
Kim Hyeon-Soo's Ministry of Agriculture promotes the exhaustive introduction of quarantine steps at local ranches, such as regular field sanitization.
Symptoms of Bird Flu
The strains of the bird influenza virus are distinct. Four viruses have triggered alarm in recent years, but most of them do not infect humans: H5N1 since 1997, H7N9 since 2013, H5N6 since 2014, and most recently, H5N8 in 2016.
H5N1, H7N9, and H5N6 reportedly do not readily infect humans and are not widely transmitted from person to human. A few people around the globe have become poisoned, contributing to a variety of casualties.
But if your region has either of these strains of bird flu linked with local species, you have to pay attention to the following symptoms:
- A really high temperature
- Aching muscles
- Headaches
- Cough
Additional early signs can include:
- Diarrhea
- Infirmity
- Stomach pain
- Chest pain
- Gum and nose bleeding
- Conjunctivitis
- Psoriasis
According to NHS UK, it typically takes 3 to 5 days for the main side effects to pop up after you've been poisoned. It is likely to create more severe conditions, such as pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome, within days of symptoms occurring. Taking antiviral drugs right away will reduce complications and decrease the chance of contracting acute illnesses.
Currently, the Ministry of Agriculture intends to prevent the widespread of infection with H5N8 bird flu and control potential human infection in South Korea.
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