China should not relax its efforts in bird flu prevention and control, Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu warned this week.

No poultry bird flu outbreaks have been reported in China for more than 80 consecutive days, said Hui, who also heads the nation's bird flu prevention and control team, at a national meeting.

However, he called for continued vigilance against the fatal avian influenza.

"The situation is still grave," he said, urging related departments to "overcome numbness, have a correct judgement for the current epidemic situation and take the fight against the disease as a long-term task."

An outbreak among migratory birds was reported in northwestern Qinghai Province earlier this month. More than 300 birds died in the outbreak, but the epidemic did not spread to poultry, the Ministry of Agriculture said Friday.

China also reported 18 human infections of bird flu,with 12 fatalities since late last year.

Source: Xinhua