Italy is the latest country to report cases of bird flu as the deadly avian influenza moves progressively west.
Health workers from Sicily in the south to near Venice in the north are carrying out checks after authorities in Rome appealed to Italians not to touch dead or sick birds.
Five swans have been found with the virulent form of the deadly strain of avian flu, H5N1; two on the mainland and three in Sicily, The Guardian reported.
The H5N1 strain has also been reported in Nigeria while another case of avain flu was confirmed in Slovenia.
Dead swans in Greece and Bulgaria were also reportedly tested postive for the virus.
Report by Phil Davies
