Bird flu suspected in chicken deaths in Japan

Unclear whether humans infected on farm in southern part of country

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updated 11:04 a.m. ET Jan. 11, 2007

TOKYO - An outbreak of suspected bird flu has killed about 750 chickens on a farm on south Japan’s Kyushu island, a farm ministry official in Tokyo said on Thursday.

The farm, which has over 12,000 birds, is located in the small town of Kiyotake in Miyazaki Prefecture, an area devoted mainly to forestry and farming.

The deaths occurred on Wednesday and Thursday, and if bird flu is confirmed, all the chickens on the farm will be destroyed, he said. It was not known if any humans were infected, he added.

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The farm will be placed in quarantine and local authorities are urging people to stay away from the area, he said.