The Turkish minister for health has confirmed the first known cases of human bird flu in the east of the country.
Two patients tested positive for bird flu according to Health Minister Recep Akdag. They are the first known human cases outside Southeast Asia and China.
He said a 14-year-old farm boy who died after developing pneumonia-like symptoms tested positive for bird flu.
Three other members of his family also tested positive and are hospitalised, Minister Recep Akdag said.
Akdag's statement contradicted a ministry statement earlier this week, which said the boy's death was not caused by bird flu.
The child was one of several people from the same district who underwent tests in Van hospital near the Iranian border after exhibiting symptoms of influenza.
Turkey, which lies on the path of migratory birds that are believed to spread the virus, has suffered two outbreaks of the highly contagious disease among poultry in the past three months, the latest last week in the eastern province of Igdir.
The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has killed more than 70 people in east Asia since 2003 and forced the slaughter of millions of birds.
Veterinary experts across Europe have been on alert, culling birds and taking other precautionary measures since October outbreaks in Turkey and Romania.