# 1876
Fearing further spread of the H5N1 virus, South Korea today raised their alert level to `Orange' and extended it to cover their entire nation. `Orange' is the 2nd highest alert level, and officials concede that they may have to raise the alert level to `Red' if the virus is not contained.
Soldiers have been dispatched to infected farms to help with the culling and burying of chickens and ducks. Reportedly, 2.2 million birds have been culled, thus far, in these recent outbreaks.
This first article from KUNA (Kuwaiti News Agency) and then a piece that appeared today in the Korean Times.
S. Korea sends in troops to destroy bird flu-infected flocks
Health 4/16/2008 1:16:00 PM
TOKYO, April 16 (KUNA) -- The South Korean government has decided to send in additional soldiers to help destroy tens of thousands of fowl infected with the deadly avian influenza, better known as bird flu, Seoul's Yonhap News Agency reported Wednesday, citing an official from the Ministry of National Defense.
The decision came as the government issued the second highest level of alert for bird flu earlier in the day.
"The military has set up 23 quarantine and inspection posts at various areas in North Jeolla Province in the country's southwest, where outbreaks have been most serious, and mobilized an average of 185 troops a day to help stop the spread of avian influenza," Yonhap quoted the official as saying.
The additional troops will be deployed specifically to help destroy infected chicken and duck, according to the ministry.
South Korea announced earlier this month the first outbreak of a virulent bird flu strain. Out of 32 suspected outbreaks, about 20 have tested positive for the H5 virulent strain of the avian influenza, the news agency said.
Gov’t Raises Alert Level for Bird Flu
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff ReporterThe government on Wednesday has raised its alert level for the avian influenza from ``Yellow (alert)'' to ``Orange (alarm).'' Therefore, all poultry raised within three kilometers of suspected Bird flu reported spots will be slaughtered.
The decision came after avian influenza was reported in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, about 70 kilometers southwest of Seoul and far away from Jeolla Area, where initial outbreaks of the virus were diagnosed on April 2. On Tuesday, the quarantine government announced a chicken farm in Pyeongtaek reported suspected Avian flu cases and decided to destroy all 338,000 chickens at nine nearby farms.
The case was confirmed as H5N1 positive but it has not been confirmed whether it is a highly virulent virus strain that is deadly to humans.
The Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the alarm was posted on the Jeolla area only, but since the disease is spreading at an unusually quick rate and in ``unpredictable'' ways, the warning will be extended. ``We say this weekend will be the peak of the Avian flu infection rate and we are fully set to watch over it,'' a ministry spokesman said.
The government requested nine national universities nationwide to check on ducks and vowed to tighten punishment on those who distribute poultry from restricted areas. Up to now, those who violate the rules are subject to up to a year in prison or up to a 5 million won fine.
Warning levels for such contagious disease are Blue (attention), Yellow (alert), Orange (alarm) and Red (serious). A ministry spokesman said, ``if found in other areas than Jeolla and Gyeonggi, we may consider raising it to Red.''
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