Mr Savage is a maintenance engineer at the hospital

Southend Hospital in Essex said Howard Savage had told the health authority of his position as soon as one parrot was found to have bird flu.

A spokeswoman said Mr Savage had been treated with anti-viral drugs and would carry on with his job at the hospital.

She said the Health Protection Agency had also looked into Mr savage's case.

The spokeswoman said she was not aware that the hospital had received any calls from patients concerned about the fact that a member of hospital staff also worked at the Essex quarantine centre.

Free-range

Measures designed to combat the threat of a bird flu pandemic came into force on Friday.

There is a ban on the sale and display of birds at markets, shows and fairs around England. There are separate arrangements for Scotland and Wales.

Government ministers are considering whether to order free-range chickens to be brought indoors to minimise the risk of them catching the virus.

A register of commercial poultry producers is also to be set up.