BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhuanet) -- The State Administration for Industry and Commerce on Saturday issued a notice, urging the closing of poultry markets and the banning of poultry trade in the bird flu-affected area in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region where the country's first bird flu case was spotted.

    The notice requires its subordinate body in Guangxi region to strictly crack down on illegal poultry trade in the bird flu-hit areas and intensify the market patrol at the juncture areas between virus-hit areas and virus-unaffected areas in an effort toprevent and control the bird flu virus from spreading.

    The notice also urged the closing of poultry markets whose sanitation conditions are poor in bird flu-unaffected areas.

    If any suspected bird flu cases were spotted in markets, they must be reported to local governments and the State Administrationfor Industry and Commerce, said the notice. Enditem