China confirms bird flu outbreak in Lhasa

    BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhua) -- China"e;s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) confirmed Sunday a new outbreak of bird flu in Lhasa, southwestern Tibet Autonomous Region.

    The national bird flu laboratory confirmed that the H5N1 bird flu virus was found in poultry sold at a poultry wholesale market in Chengguan District of Lhasa on April 12.

    Emergency measures have been taken and the epidemic has been brought under control, the MOA said in a brief notice, and 1,679 fowl were culled after the outbreak.

    According to the local health department, no abnormalities were found among people in contact with the poultry, the ministry said.