Thailand has two suspected human bird flu cases

Thailand is testing two children for possible infection with bird flu, which has erupted again after devastating Asian poultry flocks earlier this year, officials said on Friday.

One, a 14-year-old boy, was a "probable" case of bird flu, Health Ministry spokeswoman Nittaya Chanruangmahaphol told reporters.

She did not say whether the boy had been in close contact with infected chickens, as were 16 Vietnamese and eight Thais who died of the disease earlier this year when the H5N1 virus swept through much of Asia.

Both suspected cases were in the northeastern province of Nong Khai near the Lao border, one of 15 of Thailand's 76 provinces where recurrences of bird flu have been confirmed, the officials said.

The other suspected case was a 12-year-old girl who had been in close touch with chickens, Dr Charal Trinvuthiphong, head of Disease Control at the Health Ministry, told reporters.

"The girl was reported to have played with and touched chickens," Charal said. "We are waiting for the lab test which was sent to Bangkok.

Thailand, the world's fourth-biggest chicken exporter in 2003, has culled 160,000 fowl since the H5N1 erupted anew early this month.

China also reported a new case recently as did Indonesia. Both governments say their new outbreaks are under control.

The Thai government put the country on high alert, ordering officials to rush anyone to hospital who showed symptoms resembling those of bird flu.

There have been 10 such instances this month and each patient has gone home after being cleared of having bird flu. Friday was the first time that senior officials had publicly reported suspected cases.