[The Hwankyung Ilbo] The National Institute of Environmental Research, which is part of the Ministry of Environment, said it will strengthen wild bird avian influenza (AI) surveillance for 33 major habitats for migratory birds nationwide.

About 1 million winter birds, including geese and ducks, fly from Mongolia and Russia every year from October to April and spend the winter in Korea.

In August, researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Research visited Mongolia and Russia, which are the main summer breeding grounds for winter birds flying to Korea, and examined the presence of bird flu.

The National Institute of Environmental Research has increased the number of existing AI preliminary monitoring network from one place to two in order to monitor wild bird flu earlier this year.

In addition, the National Institute of Environmental Research plans to expand the scale of AI surveillance.

"We are focusing on preemptive measures to prevent bird flu,” said an official from the National Institute of Environmental Research. “We need active cooperation from the public, including reporting dead bodies, to prevent the AI.”

조수빈 리포터  press@hkbs.co.kr

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