Greece's agriculture ministry has confirmed the country's first positive test for avian flu virus, following tests on the island of Chios which detected the presence of the H5 strain in a local turkey.
The samples were submitted on Thursday from a small farm on the northeast of the island, which faces the coast of Turkey.
However, more tests to determine whether the virus is the H5N1 strain that can be lethal to humans are pending.
Meanwhile, the head of the expert group appointed by the Government to devise measures to combat a bird flu pandemic has said Ireland is doing everything it should to prepare for an outbreak, if and when it comes.
Professor William Hall told RTÉ News he was reluctant to predict the number of deaths which would arise here from a pandemic, as the figures were difficult to calculate.
However, he said that if the position adopted yesterday by the Chief Medical Officer for Britain was applied here, Ireland could see 3,000-4,000 extra deaths from flu.
He said Ireland was 'very well prepared' for an outbreak whether it came from the avian H5N1 strain or another virus.
Prof Hall also said that bird flu had not adapted for human to human spread and was currently a more significant threat to poultry than human health.
British scientists are travelling to southeast Asia to discuss how to tackle the threat with local officials. The scientists - from the Medical Research Council - will visit China, Vietnam and Hong Kong.
60 people have so far died from the virus, which they contracted through contact with poultry.
