PRAGUE, June 20 (Xinhua) -- A bird flu virus emerged in a poultry flock for the first time in the Czech Republic, the State Veterinary Administration said on Wednesday.

    The virus was confirmed in a turkey flock in Usti nad Orlice, east Bohemia area. Of the flock of 6,000 birds, 1,800 have died, CTK reported.

    The results of control checks that are expected on Thursday will confirm what type of virus has appeared.

    The Regional Veterinary Office is taking stringent measures to prevent the disease from spreading. Any transfers of birds from the afflicted flock were banned and the previous transfers of the poultry were checked.

    A 3-kilometer inner protection zone and a 10-kilometer outer surveillance zone will also soon be in force.

    The remaining birds in the afflicted flock in the village of Tisova will be culled.

    "The turkey flock has been tightly sealed and the remaining birds will start to be culled on Thursday," Agriculture Minister Petr Gandalovic said.

    The veterinary administration will check not only commercial but also private flock within the 10-kilometer zone, according to Gandalovic.

    The first case of bird flu in the Czech Republic was found in March 2006 after which 13 cases of the disease was registered. In all cases wild birds were infected by the H5N1 virus dangerous for human beings.