Turkey's European neighbours yesterday stepped up border checks against bird flu, disinfecting trucks and passing out fliers, as officials said the risk of the disease spreading westward has increased.

The deadly H5N1 flu strain has infected 15 people in Turkey, including two teenagers who have died, according to preliminary tests. More than 70 people are suspected of having bird flu and are being tested.

Scientists fear H5N1, which is known to have killed 78 people since late 2003 and is endemic in poultry across parts of Asia, could mutate into a form that can spread easily between people, leading to a pandemic.

The virus has infected birds in some 30 out of 81 provinces, including Turkey's key tourism region near the Aegean coast, Ankara and the business hub Istanbul. Authorities have stepped up the culling of poultry, with more than 300,000 killed since December 26.

The authorities say they have the situation under control, but stress that Turkey will remain at risk as it lies in the path of migratory birds believed to carry the virus.

The European Union decided yesterday to extend its monitoring of wild birds and poultry until the end of 2006 as part of increased measures to prevent the spread of avian influenza. The programme was to have run out at the end of January.

The head of OIE, the world animal health body, urged Turkey to consider poultry vaccination in addition to culling to control its bird flu outbreak if the number of cases in animals continues to rise.

"They must act quickly as soon as new cases emerge to stamp out the virus. The problem now is that there are cases throughout the country," OIE Director General Bernard Vallat said.

The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said the virus could become endemic in Turkey and poses a serious risk to neighbouring countries.

In Greece, 500 additional veterinary staff were sent to border areas and state laboratories to speed up results on random bird tests, officials said.

Motorists and truck drivers entering Greece from Turkey had their vehicles sprayed with disinfectant and were handed leaflets explaining how bird flu is spread.

In Bulgaria, Agriculture Minister Nihat Kabil warned the risk of a flu outbreak was increasing with westwards mass migration of wild birds toward the wetlands in the north of the country.

Serbia has stepped up inspection of people, vehicles and luggage coming from Turkey to prevent the possible spread of bird flu, authorities said yesterday.

German Agricultural Minister Horst Seehofer said yesterday that Germany will likely require all poultry be kept indoors to prevent bird flu in the country.

Source: China Daily