Six previously suspected outbreaks of the deadly H5N1 bird flu in China have been confirmed by the National Bird Flu Reference Laboratory, the Ministry of Agriculture said Friday, citing a report of the lab.

The confirmed bird flu cases were spotted in Shilin County and Xishan District of Kunming City in Yunnan Province, southwest China; Luoding City and Jiedong County in Guangdong Province, south China; Nanhui District of Shanghai Municipality, east China; and Jinnan District of Tianjin Municipality in the north.

The National Bird Flu Reference Laboratory also confirmed that the death of black swans in a wildlife zoo in Shenzhen City, Guangdong, was caused by the H5N1 bird flu.

All the above outbreaks have been brought under control in the localities, and no new suspected bird flu cases were reported Friday, said the ministry.

(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2004)