Two more cases of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza(AI) have been reported at egg farms on Wednesday.

Quarantine authorities confirmed that the cases were detected at two chicken farms in the city of Iksan in North Jeolla Province that have some 133-thousand laying hens and roughly 75-thousand chickens, respectively.

The new cases brought the season’s confirmed cases at poultry farms to ten, with testing under way for four more suspected cases from farms in Gimje, North Jeolla Province.

The authorities sent an initial response team to the farms in Iksan, implementing quarantine measures, including cordoning off the affected farms, conducting an epidemiologic study and culling chickens.

The provincial government issued a 24-hour standstill order through 10 p.m. Thursday, banning the movement of personnel and vehicles from poultry farms and related livestock facilities.