Poultry markets were closed in Shanghai on Monday as the city banned the trade and slaughter of poultry to curb spread of bird flu.

The industry and commerce department has examined 721 farm agricultural markets and seized 97 kilograms of dead poultry since the municipal government issued a notice banning the poultry trade on Sunday. A total of 690 poultry markets have been closed.

The government notice has been put on every market in the city and detailed account records and quarantine serial numbers of poultry were required to secure the sources.

China's National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory confirmed on January 27 the country's first bird flu outbreak in Long'an County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China. So far, bird flu has also been confirmed in Wugang City of Hunan Province, and Wuxue City of Hubei Province, central China.

Shanghai reported suspected bird flu cases on January 31. Other areas reporting suspected cases include east China's Anhui Province, south China's Guangdong Province, Yongkang City in east China's Zhejiang Province, Yichang City in central China's Hubei Province, Chenggong County in southwest China's Yunnan Province, Pingyu County in central China's Henan Province, and the No.12 Farming Division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

No human infection has been found in the affected areas.

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