More countries are seeking to prevent the contagion of avian flu through the migration of wild birds as the presence of a deadly strain of the virus was confirmed Sunday in Britain after its appearance in Russia, Turkey and Romania.

British researchers confirmed on Sunday evening that a parrot imported from Surinam, South America, which died on Oct. 16, carried H5N1 bird flu.

Concerns over the disease prompted the British government to call for a European ban on imports of wild birds from all the countries in the world. Currently imports are only banned from countries which have bird flu cases.

The parrot caught the disease while it was in quarantine with 216 birds from Asia, as some of them had died before the parrot, said British Chief Veterinary Officer Debby Reynolds.

"We will be talking urgently to stakeholders about restricting bird markets, fairs and shows," she said. She had asked for a "case-by-case risk assessment" on all birds in quarantine before they are released.

In Stockholm, a dead duck was confirmed carrying a moderate variant of the H5 avian influenza virus, not H5N1, the deadly form of bird flu that has killed more than 60 people in Asia.

Sweden's Board of Agriculture has tried to play down the case by announcing that the virus found was a low pathogenic type of the H5 and at this time of year it was not unusual for a quarter of ducks to suffer from influenza.

However, it advised poultry farmers to bring birds indoors if possible or feed them in protected areas.

In Brussels, the European Commission said it would rule on London's proposal of banning all import of live wild birds after discussions by EU farm ministers and the bloc's food security committee.

"The Commission is currently reviewing the proposal and will make a decision shortly, by Tuesday at the latest," said a spokesman.

Also on Sunday, the Palestinian National Authority banned the hunting of migrating birds, mainly quail, that pass through the Gaza Strip. The health and agricultural ministries were in touch with neighboring countries on the issue, including Israel, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan to guard against the disease.

The United Arab Emirates has asked residents in the capital Abu Dhabi to get rid of all pet birds or chickens they may be keeping in their homes. Municipal officials were to inspect homes.

Thailand issued orders forbidding farmers to raise poultry within 10 kilometers of where the disease has been found -- in 21 of its 76 provinces. It also forbad transport of poultry for 90 days from where diseased poultry have been found.

The H5N1 virus, which surfaced two years ago in South Korea and has been spreading since then, has been carried by wild birds in this autumn to Europe's flank, with cases confirmed in Russia, Turkey and Romania whose Danube delta is a haven for migrating fowl.

As migrating birds head further south, eastern Africa is seen as the next area at high risk. The parrot's case in Britain highlighted another possible route for transmission -- wild birds traded as pets.

Now endemic in poultry across much of Asia, the disease has infected about 120 humans in bird-human transmissions and killed 63. The latest victim was confirmed in Thailand on Thursday.

A global pandemic is feared if the virus mixes with a human flu strain and passes between people.

The search for a global strategy to ward off the threat is at the heart of a gathering on Monday in the Canadian capital Ottawa, where the heads of international health agencies and senior officials from more than 30 countries are set to meet.

The leaders are to discuss international preparations for a global human outbreak of the deadly virus.

Source: Xinhua