Chickens for sale in China (File photo)

China says a recent outbreak of avian flu in the northwestern Xinjiang region has killed nearly 5,000 birds.

Official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported Friday that authorities killed 29,000 birds to control the outbreak in the city of Turpan.

On Thursday, a government laboratory confirmed the presence in poultry of the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus.

Bird flu outbreaks were reported also this week in Bangladesh, Israel and Vietnam.

The World Health Organization says the virus has killed more than 200 people worldwide.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.