SEOUL, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The South Korean government confirmed Monday that a virulent bird flu strain causing the death of ducks at a farm in the southwestern city of Jeongup was identified as H5N1 strain of avian influenza.

    The H5N1 strain of avian influenza is dangerous as it can affect humans.

    The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced the conclusion after conducting detailed tests on ducks at a farm where thousands of ducks have died suddenly since last month.

    The ministry said all birds at the family-run farm, 268 km south of Seoul, have been culled and buried along with meat and ducks from 30,000 birds held at a butchering facility in Naju, 60 km south of Jeongup as emergency measures against further spreading of the disease.

    It is the second confirmed outbreak of the virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu since March. The first confirmed outbreak was on the egg farm in Gimje, about 27 km north of Jeongeup.

    Meanwhile, the ministry is investigating a new suspected outbreak of bird flu as report from a farm in Gobu, 4.5 km away from the duck farm in Jeongup, said large number of ducks there are dying since last Saturday.