China is to intensify monitoring of bird migration to try to ward off any further outbreaks of bird flu, Cao Qingyao, spokesman of the State Forestry Administration, said on Wednesday.

Migrating birds can transmit the deadly virus to China if they have flown from virus-infected areas in other countries, Cao said at a regular press conference.

Neighboring countries such as Vietnam, the Republic of Korea and Japan have reported outbreaks of bird flu. Hong Kong has detected some dead wild birds that tested positive for the deadly H5N1 strain, according to Cao.

Cao called on authorities at all levels to keep a close eye on the situation and report suspected cases as soon as possible, especially in the provinces bordering the infection-stricken countries and regions.

The virus has infected 22 Chinese people since 2003 and killed 14. The latest human case was a 37-year-old farmer in east China's Anhui Province, who had recovered by the time his case was made public on Jan. 10.

(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2007)