January 16, 2014

China's Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) announced that Central China's Hubei province has reported an outbreak of H5N1 in poultry, where chickens at a farm in Wanjia Village of Yangxin County showed symptoms of suspected avian flu and 3,200 died on January 7.

After testing samples collected from the farm, the National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory confirmed the epidemic was H5N1 bird flu, according to the MOA.

In order to seal off and sterilise the infected area, the local authorities have culled a total of 46,800 chickens and safely disposed of to prevent the disease from spreading, according to the ministry.

The contagious Bird flu, or avian influenza, is caused by viruses that normally infect only birds and, less commonly, pigs. It can be fatal to humans.