Govt. to keep better track of migratory birds to help prevent avian influenza

The state quarantine agency said Tuesday it will work with a number of different organizations that monitor migratory birds for systematic prevention of avian influenza.

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency said it signed memorandums of understanding with the National Institute of Biological Resources, the National Science Museum and other related organizations to share their studies and research results.

Migratory birds are believed to bring in AI strains to South Korea, causing a major epidemic of the disease. South Korea had to cull some 33 million birds last winter to contain a national outbreak.

The organizations that the agency partnered with have been collecting data on migratory birds for research purposes. The agency said information sharing can make it easier to enact preventive measures for bird flu. (Yonhap)