A bird flu outbreak has been confirmed in Thai Nguyen, a northern province of Vietnam, the local newspaper Vietnam Agriculture reported Monday, citing a statement from the provincial People's Committee.

The outbreak was spotted at the Luong Son commune, causing death of over 100 poultry of 45 days old.

Specimens from the dead poultry have recently been tested positive to bird flu virus strain H5N1, according to the local authority.

Local authority has established a zone covering the outbreak to prevent the virus from spreading.

This is the second bird flu outbreak found in the province so far in 2008. The first outbreak was reported on January this year with the culling of over 4,000 fowls.

Bird flu outbreaks in Vietnam, starting in December 2003, have killed and led to the forced culling of dozens of millions of fowls in the country.

(Xinhua News Agency December 29, 2008)