Thailand: one more person infected with bird flu

* Indonesia: two people with flu symptoms not infected with bird flu

Ronnarit Benpad is showing signs of recovery

The 7-year-old son of a farmer who died 2 days ago because of bird flu in Thailand also had a positive test. Immediately the doctors reassured people and said that the virus has not yet been transformed to easily pass from person to person.

According to Prasit Watanap, director of Siriraj hospital, the baby may have been infected by contact with the area where chickens have died. Most likely this child has been infected with infected chicken feces. There is no evidence that a baby is infected from a father.

It is likely that the baby will recover but Ronnarit Benpad must stay in the hospital for at least 5 more days before going home (under the close supervision of the medical staff for the next 21 days). The doctors thought that Ronnarit could recover because his illness was slower than his father and he was treated earlier.

Now Ronnarit's health is getting better (she starts to eat and play; her body temperature also gradually returns to normal).

So since bird flu was first discovered in Thailand in January last year, the country has 19 cases of infection, of which 13 died.

* Meanwhile, a hospital in Indonesia also received 2 father and son with symptoms similar to bird flu. However, laboratory tests from both the father (63 years old) and the child (22 years old) were negative.

KINH LUAN (According to AFP & BBC NEWS)