Officials admitted yesterday the disease had killed birds

in Phichit, but caretaker Agri-culture Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan said the outbreak had been contained.

After weeks of reports of suspected bird-flu deaths in poultry in several areas, livestock authorities announced yesterday that tests had come back positive for the virus.

Laboratory results found at least 20 samples taken from dead fighting birds in Phichit were positive for bird flu, Sudarat said in a statement.

The bird's owners were free of the virus, she said.

Quarantine had been imposed within a radius of one kilometre from where the birds died. The transport of all birds had been prohibited.

The ministry admitted the virus had been detected in samples of chicken sent to Thailand for testing by neighbouring countries.

Thailand immediately banned the import of all forms of poultry, said Sudarat.

The Health Ministry and Phichit officials were stepping up checks for flu symptoms in people, Disease Control Department director-general Dr Tawat Suntharacharn said.

Teams of epidemiologists

had been dispatched to Phichit

to assist local disease experts.

Fifteen suspected bird-flu patients were taken off the watch list yesterday after tests proved negative.

Two of those were from Phichit, said Dr Paijit Warachit, head of the Medical Sciences Department.

Meanwhile, Phitsanulok has reported a five-year-old boy may be suffering from the virus and Uttaradit has three new suspected cases.

Both provinces continue to report unexplained poultry deaths.