The Macao authorities have upgraded the body temperature checks at ports out of avian-flu concerns, according to an official press release issued Saturday.

The release from the Information Bureau said medical task forces have been assigned to main ports including the Macao-Hong Kong ferry, the Macao International Airport and the land border linking the mainland city of Zhuhai.

The body temperature checks will be focused on arrivals from nations including Azerbaijan, Iraq, Turkey and Egypt, where the human-infected cases were recently reported, said the release.

The release stressed that if any suspected cases are disclosed by the temperature surveillance, the medical teams will transfer the person suspected of infection to hospital for further checks.