South Korea on Tuesday confirmed an outbreak of a low pathogenic avian influenza virus that is less damaging, both to birds and humans, than a highly pathogenic strain.

The outbreak was confirmed at a poultry farm in South Chungcheong Province, where some 100 chickens were showing symptoms of AI, according to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

An initial test had produced positive results for the AI virus in six of 10 chickens tested at the farm.

Follow-up tests confirmed the birds were infected with the low pathogenic H9N2 strain of the avian influenza virus, the ministry said.

“Only the affected farm will be quarantined and remain under watch,” a ministry official said, also confirming the low pathogenic strain of the virus does not require culling infected birds.

An outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of the AI virus here in 2011 led to the culling of over 3 million birds. 

(Yonhap News)