February 16, 2004

Two More Suspected Bird Flu Cases In China

China reported two more suspected cases of H5N1 bird flu in Huanggang City in central China's Hubei Province and Songyang County in southwest China's Yunnan Province, the Ministry of Agriculture announced on Sunday in Beijing.

Local governments have taken emergency measures as culling and vaccination and the epidemic has been placed on control. Both of the two provinces had earlier reported suspected and confirmed avian influenza.

On Saturday, the ministry said the confirmed bird flu cases were reported in Jiangcheng District of Yangjiang City, Maogang District of Maoming City and Doumen District of Zhuhai City, all in Guangdong Province; and Xingning District of Nanning City in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

In Thailand, a teenage boy died of bird flu on Saturday, taking Asia's toll to at least 20, ahead of emergency regional talks on ways to battle the rampaging virus.

Ekaphan Pongkhan, 13, succumbed after more than two weeks in hospital, the latest victim of the virulent H5N1 virus that has now killed six Thais and 14 Vietnamese.