Avian flu H5N8 strain confirmed in Taiwan

TAIPEI -- Taiwan's agriculture authority on Sunday confirmed the strain of avian flu found on a goose breeding facility in Chiayi County was H5N8.

This discovery follows an outbreak of the H5N2 virus at a chicken farm in the southern county of Pingtung.

Agriculture council chief Chen Bao-ji said this was the first time that the H5N8 strain has been detected in Taiwan, adding that it was suspected it has been spread by migratory birds.

The Chiayi County government began culling more than 1,500 geese at the farm on Sunday and a ban on the movement of poultry in Pingtung, Tainan and Yunlin counties has been imposed.

The culling of 120,000 chickens on a farm in Pingtung was completed on Sunday morning after poultry was found to be infected with the highly pathogenic H5N2 strain on Friday.

Epidemic prevention personnel disinfect a freight car carrying dead chickens in Pingtung county, Southeast China's Taiwan, Jan 10, 2015. About 120,000 chickens have been culled after H5N2 avian influenza virus was deteced at a chicken farm here on Friday. [Photo/Xinhua]