Health officials in Japan are struggling to deal with a form of bird flu that has so far killed 40 chickens although it is not yet confirmed if this strain is the H5N1 one. If the tests do indicate that this strain is indeed the deadly one, then about 1,200 poultry animals in Takahashi face culling.

This is the third outbreak of bird flu in Japan. Two other outbreaks in Miyazaki have already been confirmed as H5N1 outbreaks. Health officials have said that the present outbreak is identical to the H5N1 outbreak, but the National Institute of Animal Health in Tsukuba must still confirm it.

Although Japan has had to deal with periodic bird flu outbreaks since 2004, no human deaths have been reported so far. Bird flu has caused havoc ever since it re-emerged in Asia in 2003.

According to WHO figures, bird flu has claimed over 150 lives so far. Indonesia is the worst affected country followed by Vietnam.

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