TEHERAN (AFP) - Iranian veterinary authorities have detected a new outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus among migratory and indigenous birds in the north of the country, the ISNA news agency reported on Friday.

"The strain of highly pathogenic bird flu that had been detected among migratory swans in ponds at Anzali has been discovered among wild geese and ducks around lakes in Barzanghib and among local birds," veterinary chief Mojtaba Norouzi was quoted as saying.

"All the chickens in the neighbouring village have been destroyed," Norouzi said, adding a warning against people hunting birds in the area.

Norouzi said no cases of bird flu had been found among farm birds.

The first instance to which Norouzi referred was in February 2006, when bird flu was found in a group of 135 wild swans found around lakes in Anzali in Gilan province.

In May the same year, two people showing symptoms of bird flu died in the western province of Kermanshah.