PHNOM PENH, Jan. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Cambodia has found bird flu among chickens, a government official confirmed on Friday evening.    

    "This is the first H5N1 case found in Cambodia, according to a sample test returned from France Pasteur Institute," said San Vanthy, spokesman for ministries of agriculture and health. He confirmed that the sample of dead chickens sent for France tested positive.

    However, San Vanthy said the infection was confined to one farm outside the capital Phnom Penh and there is no people infected with the disease.

    San Vanthy urged the Cambodian people not to feel panic as the government has already taken serious measures to prevent the spread of the disease throughout the country.

    A statement from Cambodia's agriculture Minister Chan Sarun wasbroadcast at the state television Friday night notifying the public about the situation and advising them how to take measures to avoid the disease.

    It is the first time that Cambodian government admitted that there was bird flu in the country.

    Reports of possible bird flu in Cambodia arose earlier this week after more than 3,000 chickens died in several farms of the country.

    Last week, the Cambodian government announced to temporarily ban imports of birds and avian products from neighboring countrieswhere there have been bird flu outbreaks.

    On Sunday, Cambodia's Takeo province customs officials confiscated seven vehicles laden with 159,000 duck eggs which illegally smuggled from Vietnam. The eggs were destroyed and buried later.

    Cambodia became the sixth country or region to report the virusrecently following Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan. Enditem