Avian flu is a global threat, according to a joint declaration released yesterday by EU foreign ministers. As the alarm was raised, Italian consumer protection group Codacons urged national authorities to clear our cities of pigeons, stop tourists from posing and playing with the birds, and ban the sale of bird feed on famous squares. In another move, Italys health minister Francesco Storace last night outlawed the use of live bait during hunting. After infected birds were found in Turkey, Romania and Greece last week, Storace predicted avian flu would reach Italy but this does not mean there will be a pandemic.