China's Ministry of Agriculture announced Tuesday that dead fowl found in the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were confirmed as H5N1 positive in tests by the national laboratory.

The ministry said 519 fowl died of bird flu in Hetian, a southern prefecture famous for quality jade.

The ministry and the regional government had taken emergency measures to deal with the epidemic, killing altogether 13,218 fowl.

The epidemic had been brought under control, said the ministry.

(Xinhua News Agency February 11, 2009)