Bird flu has killed a young Thai boy, the country's Health Ministry confirmed today. He is the 70th person to die in Asia from the virus.
The death took Thailand's bird flu death toll to 14 since the virus swept through large parts of Asia in late 2003. The H5N1 strain has now killed 70 people in Asia, most of them in Vietnam.
China also reported a new case of H5N1, the fifth person in the country known to have been infected with the deadly virus. The woman (31) has since recovered.
More bird flu outbreaks were reported in two provinces in Vietnam today.
Outbreaks in two villages in the northern province of Yen Bai killed or forced the cull of 5,600 chickens and ducks, while 5,000 ducks have died or been culled in central Quang Tri province.
At least 19 provinces - more than a quarter of the country - have reported outbreaks since the latest wave re-emerged in October. Since then, more than three million birds have been culled nationwide.
AP