A Nigerian official says two children suspected of having the deadly bird flu virus are healthy and were probably never infected.

A Kuduna state health official, Abdulhamid Abubakar, said Tuesday that the two boys have recovered after being treated for a fever and a cough.

Officials are still awaiting test results to see if the boys were infected with the H5N1 bird flu strain, which can be deadly to humans.

Nigerian authorities are on high alert for any outbreaks after the virus was discovered on four bird farms in northern Nigeria last week. However, an official with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says restrictions on poultry trading are not being widely enforced.

That official, Juan Lubroth, also says the H5N1 virus may have entered Niger. The French news agency quotes a Niger government spokesman as rejecting that assertion.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.