BANGKOK, Feb 4: Some 50 million chickens have been culled in a bid to contain bird flu outbreaks in Asia but the disease continues to spread in poultry producing areas in some countries, the UN food agency said Wednesday.

"FAO estimates the number of chickens culled at around 50 million," the Food and Agriculture Organisation said in a statement.

"Despite massive efforts to stamp out the virulent avian influenza virus, the disease continues to spread in poultry producing areas in some Asian countries."

It said that China, where the deadly H5N1 virus has spread to 12 regions in the past week, had requested emergency technical assistance and that an epidemiologist would arrive in Beijing soon to offer advice.-AFP