An outbreak of bird flu in poultry has been detected in Tibet, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Tuesday. According to a Reuters report, 1,000 poultry have died of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in Gonggan county since January 25. A further 13,080 poultry have been culled. Bird flu spreads fast in cold weather and China, which is home to the world’s biggest poultry population with many birds raised in farmers’ backyards, is regarded as crucial in efforts to combat the virus on a global scale. There are concerns that the H5N1 strain may mutate and spread easily between people although human cases have been limited so far. Earlier in January, it was reported that 4,850 poultry died of bird flu in Turpan, Xinjiang following an outbreak in late December. The authorities culled 29,383 birds.