Three new bird flu outbreaks

China announced three new outbreaks of bird flu, bringing the total number of outbreaks to 24 in nine provinces, affecting 45 villages and causing the deaths of 144,624 birds, of which a further 21.1 million have been culled, state media reported, citing Vice Agriculture Minister Yin Chengjie. Outbreaks have occurred in northwest Xinjiang and Ningxia regions while another was reported in Yunnan province in the southwest.