Suspected bird deaths in Ukraine's southern city of Odessa were caused by the H5 strain of bird flu virus, the first such cases outside the Crimea Peninsula, the city's top veterinarian said on Monday.

Head of the city's veterinary bureau said test results from Ukraine's central lab showed that the dead birds found in a zoo in Odessa were killed by H5 strain virus.

Preventive measures were already adopted in the zoo which was now under quarantine.

Local authorities ordered the zoo to cull pheasants and parrots potentially exposed to the flu, disinfect the whole bird exhibition section, close pet market nearby and strengthen surveillance on health conditions of both human beings and animals within the quarantine zone.

Ukraine detected its first cases of H5 strain of bird flu in the Crimea Peninsula on Dec. 3, 2005 and no case of human infection has been reported yet.