S. Korea to start year round bird flu monitoring

AFP Wednesday, July 23, 2008 SEOUL -- South Korea will start year-round monitoring for bird flu after this year's outbreak -- the country's worst -- began later than normal, the Agriculture Ministry said Tuesday. It said migratory and resident wild birds would be monitored regularly and all chicken and duck farms would be inspected every other week for both the virulent and less contagious strains of avian influenza. Some 23 monitoring teams will be established nationwide. Quarantine authorities were caught by surprise when an outbreak began in early April and swept through most of the country. In the past a heightened bird flu alert was in force from November to March, when migratory birds stay in the country and weather conditions may help spread the virus. The government culled more than eight million birds and the cost of... [read full story]