BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A recent rise in the number of human cases of avian influenza reported in cities is a dangerous sign of things to come, said Zhong Nanshan, president of the Chinese Medical Association, Tuesday in Beijing.

    In Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, the main source of the virus is spreading through dead poultry, said Zhong at an international conference.

    However, in China, some 16 human cases of bird flu were not caused by direct contact with ill or dead poultry, he noted.

    Eleven victims have died of the epidemic, reported Wednesday's China Daily.

    "People don't just contract the virus through contact with dead poultry. They can also get the virus from contact with live poultry and migratory birds," Zhong was quoted as saying.

    "Some poultry, especially ducks, are possibly virus carriers and might transmit the virus to human beings," he said.

    Stronger monitoring of poultry, wild birds and human beings should be undertaken to control the virus from spreading, he said.

    It is also a dangerous sign that the virus had been found in mammals, such as cats, warned Zhong.

    He is worried the human flu and the avian flu might combine in mammals like pigs, and then the avian influenza virus would spread more easily to humans.

    But in China, the virus is only found in poultry and human beings. No other mammals have been reported as carriers, he said.

    It is important to educate the public to go and see the doctor as soon as they get symptoms, such as a high fever, said the newspaper. Enditem