Another third world Health Ministry closed down the bird markets this past Sunday. Tests confirmed 20 cases of the disease in falcons, chickens and turkeys. They banned all imports and exports of birds and intensified fumigation of poultry farms and random testing of birds.

Bird flu has killed at least 167 people worldwide since it broke out in 2003. The theory is that when the saliva of infected bird dries and spreads in air, other birds which inhale the virus will also get infected, he noted. Infected birds show symptoms of the disease within three to five days and it can spread to humans.