04 October 2004	Monday	18 Shaban 1425

BANGKOK, Oct 3: An eight-year-old girl from northern Thailand on Sunday become the kingdom's fourth confirmed human case of bird flu since the start of the latest outbreak, the Thai health ministry said.

The girl, from Petchabun province, was taken to hospital with a fever last week after eight of the family's chickens died. Initial tests showed negative for the lethal H5N1 form of the disease which has killed at least 10 people in Thailand and 19 in Vietnam this year.

"The laboratory result, which was tested twice, confirmed that the girl is infected with H5N1 strain of bird flu virus," the health ministry said in a statement. Bird flu outbreaks have increased to affect 35 of Thailand's 76 provinces since the start of July to October 1, according to government figures.

The health ministry said more than 190 people had been listed as suspected cases since July, when the second wave of cases started after a lull of several months, but virtually all had been cleared after tests.

Three people have died in Thailand since July from either confirmed or probable bird flu including a mother and daughter last month in the country's first probable case of human-to-human infection. -AFP