A bird flu outbreak killed 16,000 quails in the southwestern Chinese province of Guizhou in January, China's Agriculture Ministry said on its website on Wednesday.
The Ministry added that officials have culled an additional 42,000 birds.
The birds died on January 1-6 at a farm in the city of Guiyang, according to a notice on the website. Laboratory tests have confirmed that the birds were infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus.
Officials "have culled another 42,000 birds and the current situation in the infected area is under control," the website said.
China has reported nearly 30 outbreaks of bird flu among poultry and has slaughtered millions of birds to try to contain its spread.
The World Health Organisation said on Wednesday that at least five people sickened with bird flu in China have died in recent months.
Hong Kong announced that it would suspend poultry imports from Guizhou, but officials at the city's Health, Welfare and Food Bureau didn't immediately know how much of the meat was sold in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong closely monitors outbreaks in mainland China because the city was hit hard by SARS - or severe acute respiratory syndrome - in 2003. SARS, which many believed began on the mainland, spread to Hong Kong, killing 299 people.
{{/usCountry}}Hong Kong closely monitors outbreaks in mainland China because the city was hit hard by SARS - or severe acute respiratory syndrome - in 2003. SARS, which many believed began on the mainland, spread to Hong Kong, killing 299 people.
{{/usCountry}}