The Saihan District of Hohhot, capital of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, which was hit by outbreak of bird flu on Oct. 14, was relieved of isolation on Sunday, the local government said Monday.

No new cases or infection of humans were reported for 21 consecutive days by Saturday in the Tengjiaying Village, a time table set by the state for relieving isolation of the bird flu-hit areas, according to the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Headquarters for Prevention and Treatment of Highly Pathogenic Avaian Flu.

A ceremony was held on Sunday to mark the lifting of the isolation of the Tengjiaying Village. Villagers lighted firecrackers and went out to do farm work again.

The village has been under isolation since Oct. 14 when chickens suddenly dropped dead by the dozen. On Oct. 19, the State Bird Flu Reference Lab confirmed that the chickens died of H5N1 bird flu. Areas within three kilometers radius around the village were also closed to prevent spread of the infectious disease.

All poultry were killed and disinfected in the bird flu-hit areas and poultry in nearby regions were all vaccinated.

The local animal disease control center would continue to monitor areas around the affected region while the trade of live poultry was resumed, said Kang Cunyao, head of the Saihan District.

Poultry raising will be allowed in the affected areas six months after the isolation was relieved, Kang said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 7, 2005)