It has been five days and one month since the outbreak of bird flu was confirmed at a poultry farm in Kagawa Prefecture, and the virus has been detected at an unusual pace.
A detailed examination of the virus gene at Hokkaido University revealed that it was similar to the one that was prevalent in Europe and that was detected in wild bird droppings in South Korea.
The research group says that migratory birds may have been brought to various locations by routes via Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, or by multiple routes via the Korean Peninsula.
In Japan, since the highly lethal highly pathogenic "H5N8 type" avian influenza virus was detected at a poultry farm in Kagawa Prefecture on the 5th of last month, a total of 15 in four prefectures including Kagawa and Miyazaki prefectures. A series of outbreaks have occurred at poultry farms, killing about 2 million birds.
In October, a group from Hokkaido University analyzed the genes of the virus detected in wild bird dung in Monbetsu City, Hokkaido, and found that it was the same strain that was prevalent in Europe and was detected in wild bird dung in South Korea. It turned out to be the closest to the one.
Viruses detected at poultry farms in Kagawa Prefecture are also known to be similar to these viruses, and the research group has been working on routes from Siberia, where migratory birds nest, to Hokkaido via Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, and Korea. It is said that it may have been brought to various places by multiple routes via the peninsula.
Professor Yoshihiro Sakoda, who conducted the research, said, "It is possible that the virus has already been brought into areas other than where the virus has been detected, and it is necessary to be vigilant on the premise that there is a risk."