NKorea strict measures to prevent bird flu

North Korea insisted Sunday that the country is making a strong effort to prevent an outbreak of bird flu.

The isolated nation has repeatedly said recently that it is prepared against a possible outbreak of the disease, which has already reached near its border with China.

Quarantine controls have been bolstered at entry points to the country, and officials are disseminating information about bird flu across the country, the North's official Korean Central News Agency said.

Monitoring of migratory birds has been reinforced to prevent them from coming into contact with poultry at farms and households, KCNA said. Birds at several farms have also been vaccinated against the disease.

North Korean scientists are also conducting research to treat and prevent the disease, according to KCNA.

Earlier this year, the North culled about 210,000 chickens and other poultry after an outbreak of bird flu that the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization said was successfully contained, AP reports.

A. A.