Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Confirmed at Egg-Laying Poultry Farm in Yesan

Emergency Culling and Epidemiological Investigation Conducted

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) has occurred at an egg-laying poultry farm in Yesan County, South Chungcheong Province.

The Central Disaster Management Headquarters for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza announced on February 6 that highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N9 type) was confirmed at an egg-laying poultry farm in Yesan County, South Chungcheong Province, which raises approximately 653,000 birds. The headquarters has deployed an initial response team to the farm to restrict access and is carrying out emergency culling and an epidemiological investigation. In addition, it has issued a 24-hour standstill order for egg-laying poultry farms, related facilities, and vehicles in the South Chungcheong and Gyeonggi regions.

Access to a laying hen farm in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, which tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 last December, is being restricted. Yonhap News

This case is the 39th occurrence of highly pathogenic avian influenza at poultry farms during the 2025-2026 winter season.

It is the first confirmed case in 16 days since the one that occurred in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province, on January 20. As the number of migratory birds has recently increased and highly pathogenic influenza continues to be detected in wild birds, the risk of additional cases is high.

The headquarters plans to conduct special quarantine inspections until February 20 on 75 egg-laying poultry farms nationwide that each raise 200,000 or more birds. In addition, it will assign one-on-one dedicated officials to poultry farms within a 10 km radius of the affected farm, designated as a "quarantine area," and to egg-laying poultry farms nationwide that each raise 50,000 or more birds, and will manage them intensively until the end of this month.

Furthermore, the period from February 7 to 20 will be designated as a "nationwide intensive disinfection period," during which disinfection will be strengthened at migratory bird habitats, poultry farms, livestock facilities, and vehicles, and unannounced environmental inspections will be carried out on livestock vehicles and others entering poultry farms nationwide.