Sudan has found its first cases of bird flu in poultry in the capital Khartoum and nearby Jazeera state, an official of the Ministry of Animal Resources announced on Tuesday.

"Laboratorial tests have confirmed the existence of bird flu cases in Khartoum and Jazeera," Ahammed Mustafa, undersecretary of the ministry, told reporters.

"Until now the health authorities have culled more than 100,000 chickens at 15 farms in Khartoum," Mustafa said.

He said that his ministry had adopted a series of measures to prevent spread of the deadly pandemic, including ban on import of poultry and its products from the countries infected with bird flu.

Examinations would also be carried out in every farm and family which raises poultry in order to ensure that no sick chickens would appear in the markets, the official added.

Both Khartoum and Jazeera are known for large-scale agricultural and animal farm in the largest African country.

(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2006)