A fresh bird flu outbreak has been reported in Mon State, southeastern Burma, with authorities taking measures against the deadly virus, according to a state-run newspaper.

A chicken vendor waits for customers at the market in Rangoon. Authorities have confirmed a fresh bird flu outbreak has been reported in Mon State, southeastern Burma.

The H5N1 virus was found in two poultry farms in Thanbyuzayat, Mon State after tests were conducted on dead birds, Myanmar’s Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department confirmed Sunday in a report in the state-run Burmese language newspaper The Mirror.
The report said that authorities have taken measures to contain the outbreak, including culling more than 300 chickens on the two poultry farms where the H5N1 virus was identified.

This fresh outbreak comes a month after a case occurred at a privately owned chicken farm in Pegu Division, 80 km north of the former capital Rangoon in June. Earlier outbreaks in Burma were identified in February and April.

Apart from the two poultry farms, 65 other farms in Thanbyuzayat show no signs of the virus and all chickens remain healthy, the report said.

Meanwhile, in India’s northwestern Manipur State, which borders Burma, bird flu cases have been reported since July 11. Culling measures were initiated and the sale of poultry has been banned.

Indian authorities on Sunday identified 28 more villages where culling operations have been conducted, with about 60,000 poultry culled since mid-July.

Burmese authorities have urged the public and government offices to be more aware of possible outbreaks and to quickly report any potential cases of the deadly bird flu virus.

No reports of human infection by the H5N1 virus have yet been reported in the military-ruled country to date. The World Health Organization has recorded a total of 319 human cases worldwide, with 192 fatalities.