Poultry infected with the H5N1 strain of the virus were discovered in three districts including Pidie in the northeast of the province, said Syamsul Basri, director of animal health with the agriculture ministry.

"The virus mostly hit Arabic (variety of) chickens and the case was reported to us three weeks ago. If added up, there were hundreds of them infected but they have all been stamped out," Basri told AFP.

Some died of the virus while other sick birds were destroyed to prevent the virus spreading, he said.

Indonesia has had more than one dozen suspected human bird flu deaths, but only seven have been confirmed by the World Health Organisation. Four others were also confirmed to have contracted the virus but are still alive.

Authorities have so far been reticent to conduct mass culling to prevent the spread of the disease, citing economic reasons.

Basri said health authorities in Aceh had enforced biosecurity measures at chicken farms in the three affected districts and had urged farmers to "carry out better supervision" of their poultry.

"We have performed vaccinations in those three districts but we also need them to continuously monitor their chickens," he said.

The deadly H5N1 strain has claimed more than 60 lives in Asia since 2003.

Scientists warn that continued contact between infected birds and humans may eventually result in the virus mutating into a form that could be easily passed on by humans, sparking a pandemic that could kill millions.

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