Japan is currently experiencing a concerning rise in bird flu cases. Government authorities have confirmed an outbreak at a significant poultry farm in the northern Iwate region. This recent incident marks the 19th occurrence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in the country this season, according to reports from the agriculture ministry.

Overall, a staggering 1.7 million birds have been culled since the season began, affecting 11 prefectures, as per the government’s primary news agency, Jiji press. Adding to these numbers, a recent report indicates that another 50,000 chickens have been culled to prevent the outbreak from spreading further.

The latest outbreak was confirmed on a Sunday, following reports from the farm concerning a significant increase in bird mortalities. Genetic testing pinpointed the virus as the main culprit behind this surge, leading to immediate containment directives.

In response, officials have implemented movement restrictions affecting approximately 170,000 birds from two neighboring farms within a 3-kilometer radius of the affected area.

Additionally, a 10-kilometer surveillance zone was erected, halting the transport of close to 3.8 million birds in the surrounding region. There have been additional reports of separate farms culling 120,000 and 147,000 birds as similar infections began to increase.