South Korea battles new bird flu outbreak

Pyongyang, North Korea -- A new outbreak of birdflu in South Korea's capital has prompted North Korea to place its quarantine officials on high alert.

A North Korean government veterinarian says all state quarantine agencies are poised to act should the deadly disease spread to the north, Chosun Shinbo, a pro-government newspaper reported Monday.

Tens of thousands of chickens, ducks and other poultry were slaughtered in Seoul after a new case of avian flu was discovered Sunday.

"We do not expect any further report of bird flu within the Seoul area," a South Korean government official told the Yonhap News Agency."

South Korea has slaughtered millions of birds and decontaminated numerous poultry farms, vehicles and traditional markets since the year's first outbreak of bird flu was reported last month.

Experts fear the virus, which spreads from birds to humans, could mutate and trigger a deadly global pandemic.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.