Ethiopia said Friday it is testing pigeons found dead in the capital Addis Ababa and the eastern Somali state for a possible outbreak of avian flu.

Seleshi Zewdie, director of the animal health department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, told journalists that hundreds of dead pigeons were found recently in Addis Ababa and Somali state.

Ethiopian experts have ended initial tests on eight birds from three locations, said Seleshi, adding that results are expected to announce later next week.

He said it was difficult to rule out bird flu until they had finished the tests.

However, he said the Somali state, where pigeons died recently, is not on the normal path of migratory birds that fly through Ethiopia.

Last month, WHO experts warned deadly bird flu would more than likely spread from Asia to Africa in the coming months.

The arrival of migratory birds carrying the deadly H5N1 flu virus is expected between December and next spring in the African Rift Valley states of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, according to WHO experts.

The H5N1 virus can cross the species barrier into humans, leading to viral pneumonia and organ failure.

The biggest fear among health experts is the virus will mutate so that it can spread easily between humans, causing a pandemic that could kill millions.

Source: Xinhua