Nairobi – The National Museums of Kenya yesterday disclosed it was monitoring migration of birds into the country as experts warned that birds from Europe were likely to make a stop over in the Rift Valley.
The experts said that the birds could stop over at lakes and other water spots in the Rift Valley.
The museum would closely follow the movements of European birds in a bid to check the spread of the deadly Avian flu, said Mr Alfred Owino, an bird researcher.
Museum spokesman Ali Chege said: "The survey is on but we cannot say that we have tangible results."
"They can defecate and leave the virus behind," said Dirk Verwoerd, chairman of the Poultry Veterinary Group of the South African Veterinary Association.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has pledged to help Kenya and other African countries prepare for a possible outbreak.
FAO will help the countries to strengthen their surveillance on wild and domestic birds and improve laboratory capacities for early detection.
The pledge came in the wake of confirmation that the risk of the bird flu spreading to Africa and the Middle East has markedly increased.
Chief FAO veterinary officer Joseph Domenech said the detection of bird flu in some countries in Europe "confirms FAO's recent warning that the virus is spreading along the pathways of migratory birds outside south-east Asia."
He said more research was urgently needed to understand the role of wild birds in spreading the flu.
He said: "The close proximity between people and animals, and insufficient surveillance and disease control capacities in eastern African countries create an ideal breeding ground for the virus.
"The countries urgently need international assistance to build up basic surveillance and control systems, he said.
On Monday, the director-general of the World Organisation for Animal Health, Mr Bernard Vallat, said the bird flu was heading to Africa and that about Sh3.7 billion was needed to fight its spread.
Migratory birds might bring in the flu from Europe to East Africa, through the Nile, he said.
Said he: "It is quite possible for some birds from Romania and Siberia to migrate and carry the disease to Africa."
Kenya has imposed a temporary ban on imports of poultry, pet birds such as parrots and breeding stock including fertilised eggs sent to hatcheries from countries hit by the flu.
The ban on imports is directed at poultry products from Greece, Turkey and Romania, where traces of the bird flu strain have been found, and Asia, where the H5N1 strain of the virus has killed more than 60 people since 2003.
"We cannot impose a ban on all imports from all other countries in Europe since this would be to restrict trade. If these countries bring the outbreak under control, then we shall resume business," explained the director of veterinary services, Dr Joseph Musaa.