¡¡ALMA ATA, Aug. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- The recent bird flu outbreak found close to Kazakhstan's northern border with Russia was caused by the deadly H5N1 strain that can be transmitted to humans, a statement by Kazakhstan's Agricultural Ministry read on Thursday.

    This conclusion comes after Kazakh researchers and foreign experts analyzed the serum of the poultry and wild birds killed by the flu in the province of Pavlodar, according to the statement.

    The press communique said Kazakh authorities have imposed a 21-day quarantine on the affected farms and its neighboring regions in Pavlodar where people and vehicles are not allowed to enter or come out during that period.

    In addition, the local authorities of Pavlodar have set up 13 working teams to see whether there are more poultry and wild birds killed by the virus at the 650 lakes, reservoirs and ponds of thisregion.

    No more new cases of bird flu outbreak were reported by Aug. 10and poultry farms across the country are in good conditions, said the communique.

    More than 600 fowls died at a farm in the village of Golubovka in Pavlodar at the end of July this year. Preliminary research indicates that they contracted the bird flu virus from wild birds in the nearby ponds.

    Experts pointed out that the virus found in Pavlodar has the same source as those in the province of Novosibirsk and Altay region of Russia. And it also shares some similarities with those found in Southeast Asia. They suspect that the virus is brought to Pavlodar by migratory birds.

    The virus has killed more than 60 people in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia since the bird flu outbreak in 2003. Enditem