Malaysia has detected three new outbreaks of bird flu in Kelantan, one of which is outside a quarantine zone around the first village hit by the deadly virus, officials said today.

The discovery of the disease outside the 10 kilometer quaratine area is a worrying new development for veterinary department officials, who had given assurances that the outbreak was contained within the zone.

The eruption of bird flu outside the quarantine area was confirmed today morning, the director-general of the Veterinary Department, Hawari Hussein, told AFP. He said more details would be released later in the day.

"The new case is outside the quarantine area in Kuchelong village. Five birds had signs of the disease. Authorities will cull birds in the infected area immediately," said Hawari.

Hawari said the disease was also detected in two villages within the quarantine zone around the settlement where the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, responsible for 28 human deaths in Asia this year, was first discovered last month.

Some 579 birds have been culled in the two villages and Hawari said authorities were carrying out house-to-house surveillance and conducting tests to find out if the virus had spread to other areas.

A 26-year-old man and an eight-year-old girl from one of the villages were admitted to hospital for observation after developing coughs and flu-like symptoms, said the director of the Health Ministry's Disease Control Division, Ramlee Rahmat.

"They have a history of contact with the dying chickens," he said.

State under watch

Officials announced Monday that the entire Kelantan state was under intensive monitoring after three new outbreaks were announced over the weekend, with more than 200 officers conducting clinical checks at wet markets, bird sanctuaries and pet shops.

Officials say the disease was first brought into Malaysia by fighting cocks that had been exposed to the virus in Thailand and that the new outbreaks were caused by the continued smuggling of chicken meat.

Malaysia is seeking an urgent meeting with Thai authorities to discuss measures to combat the spread of the virus.

Thailand has been criticised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for not doing enough to monitor birds capable of carrying the deadly avian flu virus following the kingdom's ninth human death last week.

The WHO fears that the H5N1 virus, which has killed 28 people in Asia this year, could mutate into a highly contagious form that triggers a global human flu pandemic.