China's Ministry of Agriculture announced Thursday that quarantine has been lifted from two areas hit by the H5N1 strain of bird flu.
  
The areas are Anning City of southwestern Yunnan Province and Xiangcheng District of Xiangfan City in central Hubei Province.
  
No new avian influenza cases had been detected in these areas for 21 consecutive days since the last birds were destroyed, said the spokesman from the ministry.
  
Experts in animal epidemics and officials concluded after inspections that the disease had been eradicated in these areas and they met the requirements for the lifting of isolation orders as stipulated in the Emergency Countermeasures Against Avian Influenza and the Technical Standards Regarding the Fight Against Avian Influenza.
  
The ministry also urged local governments and animal epidemic prevention and control organizations to remain vigilant and continue supervision to prevent new cases.
  
The ministry said it had received no reports of new suspected or confirmed bird flu cases Thursday.

(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2004)