BEIJING -- Over 20,000 chickens have been exterminated in Taiwan amid a bird flu outbreak, the Bureau of Animal and Plant Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ) has announced.

A decision to put 23,000 chickens to death at a farm in Taiwan’s western Yunlin County was made after an inspection revealed that the birds were infected with the H5N8 strain of avian influenza virus, BAPHIQ said on Thursday.

Last month, thousands of chickens, as well as ducks, were put to death across Japan amid bird flu outbreaks.

China reported several cases of human infections with bird flu virus last month. China has been imposing bans on poultry imports from countries affected by bird flu. Curbs are already in place against some 60 nations, including Japan and South Korea. (PNA