Health officials in Thailand say a 27-year-old man has died of bird flu. He is the second person the virus has killed in the country this year.
If confirmed by the World Health Organization, the case would raise Thailand's bird flu death toll to 16 people since the virus began spreading in Asia in late 2003.
Thai authorities say the latest victim of the H5N1 virus died Thursday in the central province of Uthai Thani, after burying a sick chicken. They say the man's wife is taking anti-viral medication and is being monitored.
In his radio address Saturday, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra called on farmers to report promptly any suspected cases of bird flu in their flocks.
The WHO says bird flu has killed at least 134 people worldwide since 2003.Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP.
