In an effort to contain the spread of the avian flu virus which has been identified in a dead parrot in the United Kingdom, China has stipulated that any signs of the flu's outbreak in its counties or cities must be reported to provincial authorities within 2 hours, with the provincial veterinary bureau reporting confirmed cases to the Ministry of Health within an hour, state media reported. The measures come at a time when the world is worried about an impending pandemic. The virus is spread by migrating wild birds and has recently been found in Russia, Turkey and Romania, spurring efforts around the globe to contain its spread. In Beijing yesterday, the Ministry of Health denied earlier media reports that China would close its borders if a single case of human-to-human transmission of bird flu occurred.