The man was undergoing tests to determine whether he had contracted H5N1 avian flu, ministry spokesman Karim Ibourki said, adding that results were expected later in the day.

There was confusion over the man's identity, with some officials saying he may be a journalist who had worked in Turkey covering the bird flu story and others saying he was a holidaymaker.

"It probably is a journalist who had gone to Turkey to cover the spread of the virus, " Ibourki said, adding the man had done some work in the eastern province of Van.

Meanwhile, Inge Jooris, spokeswoman for the committee in charge of monitoring for any trace of bird flu arriving in the country, was also unable to confirm his identity, saying it could be someone who had been a tourist in the province.

The Brussels hospital where he was being treated declined to comment.

The man checked himself into the hospital on Friday after returning from Turkey on Thursday. Ibourki said the man was not a Belgian citizen but was unable to provide more details.

Three children have died from bird flu and 15 others have been infected since the outbreak began in Turkey .