Bird flu cases were detected in Turkey's biggest city of Istanbul and Black Sea province of Rize, Turkish Zaman newspaper reported on Friday.

Turkish National Coordination Center for Bird Flu was quoted as reporting that bird flu cases were detected in ducks and chicken in Silivri town of Istanbul.

About 2,933 poultry were culled in the town after samples from infected ducks and chicken tested positive for bird flu, the center noted.

Veterinary officials in the northeastern province of Rize also reported that the bird flu virus H5N1 was detected in the province, adding a quarantine has been implemented in six areas in Rize while a mass culling of poultry is underway.

In January, four children died of H5N1 strain of bird flu in the eastern province of Van, but there has been no new human case of bird flu in Turkey since Jan. 13.

Turkey has culled 2.27 million poultry across the country so far in an effort to halt spread of the disease, said the report.

Source: Xinhua