Last night, the Japanese authorities announced the discovery of a new outbreak of bird flu in Kagoshima Prefecture, located in the southwest of the country.

 And the Japanese news agency "Kyodo" reported today, Saturday, that genetic tests that were conducted on many dead birds in Kagoshima Prefecture, showed the presence of the "H5" strain of highly contagious bird flu.

 The Japanese authorities plan to cull about 40,000 birds on a farm in Kagoshima Prefecture, and have also prevented the transportation of chickens and eggs within a three-kilometre diameter area around the farm, where foci of the disease were found.

 This is the second outbreak of bird flu virus in the country during this season, as the virus was discovered earlier in Akita Prefecture, bringing the total of birds that the Japanese authorities will dispose of to 143,000.