Overview
- The positive result followed the discovery of dozens of dead chickens at a Shiraoi Town facility on the morning of Oct. 21.
- The Livestock Hygiene Service conducted the rapid field test after the farm owner reported the deaths.
- Confirmatory testing is scheduled for the morning of Oct. 22 to determine whether the virus is highly pathogenic.
- The Hokkaido government plans to convene a response task force and, if infection is confirmed, carry out measures including culling.
- The affected layer operation houses about 459,000 hens, and a confirmed case would be Hokkaido's first farm detection since November 2024.