The virus was discovered in samples collected from wild birds last week in Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, about 84km central west of capital Seoul, the agriculture ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said it has ramped up prevention measures to contain a wider spread of bird flu and issued a highly pathogenic avian influenza warning as there are increased risks the virus will spread.

“This is a serious situation where the pollutant can flow from the migratory bird land to the farm though various routes,” Agriculture Minister Kim Hyeon-soo said in a statement, urging the thorough implementation of quarantine measures at the farm, such as the daily disinfecting of the farmyard.

Following a separate bird flu outbreak on Tuesday in Holland, Dutch health officials ordered a cull of chickens.