In the early morning of January 23rd, Japanese officials confirmed the presence of avian influenza in chickens from a farm in Shintomi, located in the Miyazaki prefecture. The farm has been ordered to euthanize 410 thousand chickens, as a preemptive measure to stop the spread of avian influenza throughout the poultry population. Although it is possible for avian influenza to be spread to humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk is small and transmission of the virus generally occurs only after direct and repeated contact with infected poultry.
