South Korea confirmed a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a duck farm in South Jeolla Province. 

According to the central disaster management headquarters for bird flu outbreaks on Sunday, the latest case was reported Saturday in the province’s southwestern county of Damyang. 

The new case raised the country’s total number of outbreaks at poultry farms for the 2024-2025 season to 27. 

Authorities plan to conduct thorough tests at 14 poultry farms within the quarantine zone of the Damyang farm and to inspect 216 duck farms in the province by Friday. 

An official said the nation is in a grave situation where highly pathogenic bird flu cases can occur anywhere in the country, calling for poultry farms nationwide to increase quarantine efforts and promptly report suspected cases.