As the bird flu virus H5N1 spreads from Asia to Europe the Government has announced it has almost completed the ?design? of a pilot study into how to combat the problem of feral chickens around Bermuda.

And Islanders are being urged not to feed free-roaming chickens or to release captive chickens into the wild.

A breakthrough in how to deal with the long-term problem is anticipated by the Government within coming weeks, according to Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield.

She said: ?The team assigned to design a comprehensive strategy to deal with this scourge has laboured long and hard over the last few weeks. I am confident that what they present in the next few weeks will represent a significant breakthrough in our efforts to reduce the feral chicken population. We will have at the end of the programme more information to share with the community.?

The Island?s wild chickens are not viewed as a particular threat regarding the spread of the avian flu that has decimated bird populations in Asia.

It is feared the H5N1 virus may eventually mutate to become a human-to-human infection. More than 80 people around the world have died from the flu, mostly through being in extreme close contact with infected birds.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Cann said the fact that Bermudians don?t live with their chickens in the same way that occurs in some Asian countries greatly reduces the risk of a bird-to-human infection occurring here.

However, the feral chickens and wild fowl on the Island are viewed as a problem because they destroy crops, can be hazardous to aircraft and in some neighbourhoods create noise at all hours of day and night. The birds are also potential carriers of disease.

Last month Health Minister Patrice Minors confirmed that a committee has been set up to prepare the Island for the eventuality of a human version of the avian flu becoming a global pandemic.

The committee?s role is to co-ordinate the running of essential services including the hospitals, Police and Fire Service, and garbage collection.