With 12 mainland regions investigating bird flu cases, China sought yesterday to coordinate flu-fighting efforts across its vast territory.

　　Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed an outbreak in the southern province of Yunnan, where a new suspected case was also being investigated, China Central Television said on its evening newscast.

　　Another new suspected case was found in the northwestern province of Gansu, CCTV said. It did not say what kind of birds were infected or give any other details.

　　The confirmation was based on a report from the National Bird Flu Reference Laboratory. No person has been reported to have contracted the disease so far, according to government officials.

　　The local government in Yunnan has been taking measures including fowl slaughter and compulsory vaccination to prevent the spread of the outbreak.

　　A new National Bird Flu Prevention Headquarters has opened in Beijing to oversee regional efforts to kill all sick birds and keep close watch on people who handled them.

　　Yesterday, the Health Ministry ordered daily inspections of markets nationwide, saying local officials should ensure that live animals are separated from meat products in different stalls and also check sanitation and disinfection.

　　Local health authorities should send well-trained staff to the key trade markets every day and check whether live poultry as well as fresh and frozen poultry meat sold at the markets have passed quarantine, the ministry said.

　　Traders who fail to meet relevant health regulations will bear administrative or legal consequences, the ministry said.

　　The ministry has also requested local health authorities to set up hot lines for the public and deal immediately with complaints about suspected illegal production and selling of poultry.

　　Authorities have been killing poultry within a 3-kilometer radius of a suspected outbreak and inoculating poultry within a 5-kilometer radius.

　　Hundreds of thousands of birds have been slaughtered, and the government has promised compensation to farmers - 25 yuan (US$3) for each duck and 12 yuan for each chicken.

　　New regulations stipulate that new poultry dwellings must be built at least 500 meters away from any residence, the Beijing Youth Daily said. It wasn't clear when the rules would take effect or how they would be enforced in a country where many farm families raise chickens in their yards.

　　The ministry of Railways said that animals without quarantine certificates wouldn't be allowed on trains and planes. It also said that ships entering China must undergo inspections.

　　The ministry of Communications yesterday urged local communications sectors to strengthen quarantine inspection of cross-border vehicles in an emergency notice.

　　The ministry required its branches to do a special check and disinfection of vehicles from the bird flu contaminated countries and regions, keeping on guard against allowing in infected poultry products.

　　Minister of Agriculture Du Qinglin told two United Nations organizations yesterday that the bird flu situation in China is now under control, and China is fully confident that it can do a good job of preventing the spread of the highly contagious virus.

　　The minister explained the country's efforts to put the virus under control to the representatives of the China offices of WHO and Food and Agriculture Organization, and some diplomats stationed in Beijing.