A poultry sample in south China has tested positive for H7N9 virus, the country's agriculture authority said on Monday.

The avian flu virus, which has so far led to the deaths of 36 people nationwide, was detected in a sample of chicken that came from a market in the city of Zengcheng in Guangdong Province.

After completing gene sequence analysis, the national avian flu reference laboratory concluded that the strain of H7N9 found in the sample was highly cogeneric with that found in a pigeon sample tested on April 4.

The ministry has ordered Guangdong to properly dispose of the sample and increase monitoring efforts.