MACAO -- An H7 avian flu virus was detected in samples of poultry sold in Macao's street market, officials from Macao's Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) and the Health Bureau (SSM) said Wednesday.

Authorities confirmed that the 15,000 live chickens were imported from Guangdong province and all the poultry in the wholesale market had been culled.

The government decided to temporarily suspend live poultry sales for three days, an IACM official said.

Local authorities also ordered all poultry stalls in Macao's market streets to clean and disinfect.

Macao's IACM has asked relevant departments of the mainland to trace the source of the virus together.

The health bureau said it was placing employees who were in contact with the poultry under medical observation.