China will establish several monitoring centres in rural areas to fight bird flu this year, according to the Ministry of Health.

The new measure is being taken in addition to a national influenza-monitoring network that covers all the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities on the mainland,the ministry said.

The decision announced on Monday was made after outbreaks of bird flu earlier this year in some places of the country and in some neighbouring nations, along with reports of human bird flu in Viet Nam and Thailand.

The rural centres will be used for flu strain detection and monitoring, as well as for specimen collection, testing and analysis, to enhance the country´s capabilities to deal with the flu.

Bird flu, or avian influenza, was reported in 16 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in China earlier this year, as well as several other countries in Asia.

Human infection of H5N1 virus also occurred in Viet Nam and Thailand, arousing serious concerns from the international community.

The disease led to the culling of tens of millions of chickens and other birds, and the deaths of 32 people in Thailand and Viet Nam.