The Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido will cull more than 500,000 chickens due to a new outbreak of bird flu, the local administration said on Tuesday. 
 
The administration said in a statement that "on March 27 [Monday], chicken deaths were registered at a poultry farm in the prefecture. A quick test revealed the presence of influenza type A. The result of testing for the avian influenza virus came out positive on March 28," 
 
This is the third recorded bird flu outbreak in Hokkaido this season and the 82nd case nationwide. Up to 558,000 chickens will be culled this time, according to the administration's announcement.

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Local authorities introduced a quarantine on bird transportation within a 3-kilometer (1.8 miles) radius and gave instructions to conduct disinfection works at the farm. 
 
Considering the latest outbreaks, the number of chickens culled in Japan this season has already reached 16.5 million, which is an all-time high for the country.

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Bird flu has been detected in 26 out of 47 prefectures of the country since October 28. In addition, the virus has caused the price of chicken eggs, already high amid inflation and soaring prices for food products, to spike to a 29-year peak.

Earlier this week, local administration stated on March 23 that around 330,000 chickens will be culled in Japan's Aomori Prefecture following a new outbreak of bird flu.

"On March 23, the relevant structures received a message about an increase in the number of dead birds on one of the farms. After testing for the presence of the bird flu virus, the results of 11 out of 13 birds were positive," the administration said in a statement.

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