S Korea in mass poultry slaughter
The H5N1 virus began hitting Asian poultry stocks in 2003
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South Korean quarantine officials are to slaughter 236,000 poultry after an outbreak of the H5N1 form of bird flu at a chicken farm.
The outbreak occurred at a farm in Iksan, about 250km (155 miles) south of Seoul, earlier this week.
Test results confirmed the outbreak was caused by a type of H5N1 virus, the country's agriculture ministry said.
It said all birds within a 500-metre (1,650-foot) radius would be culled to prevent the virus from spreading.
South Korea killed 5.3 million birds during the last known outbreak of bird flu in 2003.
Scientists fear the virus could mutate into a form that is more easily transmitted between people, possibly creating a pandemic.
clipped from: news.bbc.co.uk 
