H5N1 scare closer to Seoul

South Korea upgraded its bird flu alert to the second highest yesterday and sent in soldiers to help cull and bury birds amid the worst poultry influenza outbreak in four years.

In less than two weeks, South Korea has confirmed 11 cases of the deadly H5N1 strain, which had been contained in the southwest of the country, some 320 km south of Seoul.

And the Farm Ministry said yesterday an outbreak at a chicken farm in Pyeongtaek, just 60 km south of Seoul, had also been confirmed as H5N1, bringing the scare closer to the capital.