The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed yesterday a new bird flu outbreak in north China's Shanxi Province.

 

According to the ministry, 15,000 fowl at a farm in Yijing Township, Yangquan City, died on February 2 and 3.

 

After a preliminary analysis, the state avian flu lab confirmed February 7 that the birds were infected with the H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic bird flu.

 

The ministry has since sent quarantine teams to the affected area, and veterinary departments in Shanxi have so far culled 187,745 poultry within three km of the heart of the outbreak.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2006)