A man in Belgium has tested negative for bird flu after falling ill upon his return from the Turkish province worst hit by the disease.
"The initial results of the tests would indicate that we are not dealing with bird flu," Belgian Health Minister Rudy Demotte told a news conference.
The man had undergone tests for the H5N1 avian flu after he checked himself into a hospital yesterday.
He had returned the previous day from Turkey where he had travelled in the eastern province of Van.
In Turkey, 18 people have been confirmed infected with the H5N1 strain, including three children who died a week ago. All are suspected to have had direct contact with infected birds.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed today that three people infected with the virus in Turkey have been discharged and 12 other patients currently in hospital are not in danger. The WHO is in Turkey to help authorities deal with the deadly avian influenza outbreak.
Hundreds of thousands of wild birds and poultry have been culled in Turkey.
The European Union said yesterday it will offer $100 million (€82.4 million) at an international donors' conference in Beijing to a global fund to help combat the spread of bird flu.
Earlier this week the World Bank approved $500 million. It also estimated that a flu pandemic lasting a year could cost the global economy up to $800 billion.