BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- The State Administration for Industry and Commerce issued an emergency notice on Friday requiring immediate shutdown of all live poultry markets within a 10-km radius of bird flu-affected areas and halting operation of live poultry trade in ordinary markets.

    Wang Zhongfu, director of the administration, said that preventing and controlling the bird flu epidemic has become the top priority of the administration. He stressed that painstaking efforts will be made to guarantee that markets will not become channels of the virus.

    The authority has already ordered the closure of all markets and trade of poultry in the affected areas.

    Wang said that administrations for industry and commerce at all levels will soon begin a thorough check to clear out any possibilities of virus contraction and carry out 24-hour monitoring on the latest development of the epidemic.

    Authorities in the affected areas will strengthen measures to stop poultry from going outside and any unlawful fowl trade. Government departments in the surrounding areas will inspect local poultry trade and prevent fowl coming in from the affected areas.

    Fowl slaughtering and processing in the markets will also be banned, said Wang.

    The state authority is to send three teams to Hunan, Hubei, Anhui provinces and Shanghai soon to inspect the implementation of the work. Enditem