The meat, eggs and body parts of chickens from a farm hit with bird flu were shipped to 23 prefectures, even after chickens there started dying in large numbers Feb. 20, it was learned Tuesday.

Government authorities and experts have urged consumers not to panic. No humans have contracted the disease after eating the meat or eggs of infected chickens, they said.

Since January, Yamaguchi, Oita and Kyoto prefectures have had outbreaks of bird flu.

Chickens at Asada Nosan Co.'s Funai Nojo farm in Tanba, Kyoto Prefecture, home to the latest outbreak, began dying in large numbers Feb. 20, but the farm did not notify the authorities. Kyoto Prefectural Government officials inspected the farm Feb. 27 after receiving an anonymous tip.