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 The bird flu outbreaks are the first in nearly two years in Japan
and news of the cullings boosted shares in some infection-control
product makers.
In Niigata prefecture north of Tokyo, authorities on Tuesday started
culling about 310,000 chickens at a farm in the village of Sekikawa
after 40 birds were found dead from H5 bird flu, a prefectural
official told Reuters by telephone. The cull will continue until
Dec. 2, the official said.
Further north in the prefecture of Aomori, about 16,500 ducks were
being culled in the city of the same name after some tested positive
for bird flu, according to a statement on the prefecture's website.
This is the first time that highly pathogenic avian influenza has
been confirmed in Aomori prefecture, it said. The agriculture
ministry said the outbreaks are the first for nearly two years in
poultry farms in Japan.
Taiko Pharmaceutical Co, which makes infection-control products,
surged 3.2 percent, and mask maker Daiwabo Holdings, jumped 5.1
percent.
Protective clothing maker Azearth Corp, which is listed on the Tokyo
Stock Exchange's second section, soared 17 percent to its daily
limit of 681 yen.
Meanwhile, grilled-chicken restaurant operator Torikizoku Co dropped
2.8 percent.
"The news about bird flu is affecting these shares, but these moves
tend to be short-lived," said Mitsushige Akino, chief fund manager
at Ichiyoshi Asset Management.
South Korea last Friday announced a temporary nationwide standstill
order for poultry farms and related transport over the weekend in a
bid to contain a spread of H5N6 bird flu, a severe strain of the
disease.
Another severe strain of bird flu, H5N8, has hit several countries
in Europe and led to the culling of thousands of poultry after being
detected in wild ducks in Northern France.
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In recent weeks there have also been outbreaks in the Netherlands,
Switzerland, Romania and Germany. Dutch authorities destroyed about
190,000 ducks on Saturday at six farms following an avian flu
outbreak.
Farmers located in humid regions, where the risk of transmission is
higher, are advised by health authorities to keep poultry flocks
indoors or apply safety nets preventing contact with wild birds.
The H5N8 virus has never been detected in humans but it led to the
culling of millions of farm birds in Asia, mainly South Korea, in
2014 before spreading to Europe.
The World Organization for Animal Health had warned in an interview
with Reuters mid-November that more outbreaks of H5N8 were likely in
Europe as wild birds believed to transmit the virus migrate
southward.
(Writing by Aaron Sheldrick Editing by Michael Perry)
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