China Confirms Outbreak of Bird Flu Virus

BEIJING -- A new outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has been confirmed in poultry in western China, the government said.

The outbreak occurred in a farm in Hetian county in the Xinjiang region, the official Xinhua News Agency said late Wednesday, citing the Agriculture Ministry.

The report did not say when the birds fell sick or how many were infected.

Tests confirmed the H5N1 virus on Wednesday, Xinhua said.

Examination stations have been set up in the area to disinfect vehicles, it said.

China has reported more than 30 outbr110eaks of H5N1 in domestic and migratory birds since October.

The strain has killed 128 people worldwide since it began spreading in Asia in late 2003. It also is being blamed for the death or slaughter of some 200 million birds.

Experts fear that the virus could mutate into a form easily passed between people. So far, most human cases have been linked to contact with infected birds.