HANOI, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's northern Thai Nguyen province has been stricken by bird flu, raising the current number of affected localities in the country to two, local newspaper People's Army reported Friday.

    On Jan. 1, bird flu hit a flock of 350 white-winged ducks aged two months raised by a household in Song Cong town, the newspaper quoted the Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as reporting.

    The provincial Veterinary Bureau has culled the whole flock, and detoxified affected areas to prevent the disease from spreading.

    Now, six communes and wards in Tra Vinh are being hit by bird flu, said the department.