BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The government has ordered suspension of wild bird sales to prevent spread of the H7N9 bird flu.

The State Forestry Administration Thursday urged local authorities to beef up epidemic surveillance, suspend transactions of wild birds and ban close contact between humans and animals in zoos, according to an emergency notice issued by the administration.

The notice also asks relevant authorities to train staff in the treatment of animals that have died from unidentified diseases.