New cases of Avian Influenza, also know as Bird Flu, have been discovered in the South Korean city Pyeongtaek. Bird Flu cases in South Korea first showed up in Kimje, and now seem to be spreading. There are a total of 24 confirmed cases of Bird Flu in the country, prompting the government to issue an emergency warning.

The Bird Flu virus found in a chicken farm in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province is confirmed to be the H5N1 strain. Quarantine authorities buried chickens from 10 farms within a mile radius of the outbreak. A total of about 350,000 chickens were reportedly killed in an attempt to contain the outbreak.

On the 17th day of the official quarantine, authorities concerned about the spread of Bird Flu, decided to expand the designated restricted base in Pyeongtaek to areas within a six mile radius of the outbreak.

But after Bird Flu rapidly spread to Gyeonggi Province, the emergency warning is now being extended to the whole country.

[Dr. Lee, Hahn-deok, Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries]:
"Now that slaughtering is done, we will make an all-out effort, incorporating all the administrative measures, to prevent the further spread of Bird Flu."

But, worries and concerns of farm owners who have been greatly damaged by the case of Bird Flu are deepening.

[Choi Joong-ahn, Resident of Seok-jung Li]:
"This farm unfortunately buried chickens… yesterday. I'm not sure how the government is going to compensate, farmers have been damaged a lot."

As of Thursday roughly 2,200,000 chickens have been slaughtered to contain the outbreak.

NTD, Pyeongtaek, Korea.