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Beijing, Jakarta, New Delhi: China's agricultural authorities yesterday reported an outbreak of bird flu in Tibet near the regional capital of Lhasa, state media said.
The outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza occurred in Tibet's Gongga county, Xinhua news agency said. The outbreak had been suspected as of January 25, but only confirmed by the laboratory on Tuesday, it said.
Indonesia, the nation hardest hit by bird flu, recorded its 100th human death as the virus picked up speed across Asia.
Indonesia has recorded nearly half the 222 human deaths from bird flu detected worldwide since the virus began decimating poultry stocks in Asia in late 2003.
Its toll jumped to 100 after the H5N1 virus killed a 9-year-old boy and a 20-year-old woman from the outskirts of Jakarta, Joko Suyono of the National Bird Flu Centre has said.
Indian authorities, meanwhile, said bird flu has stopped spreading in the eastern region, and insisted they would remain vigilant and press on with the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of birds to keep the outbreak in check.
Health officials in West Bengal have faced a series of obstacles in battling the disease, including a stifling bureaucracy, a shortage of qualified personnel, ignorance among villagers, bad weather, and workers demanding more pay.
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