2 more bird flu deaths in Asia

GENEVA, Switzerland, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Two more human deaths from avian influenza A have been confirmed in Southeast Asia, the World Health Organization reported Thursday.

Poultry have been infected in eight Asian countries, officials reported to the WHO.

Thailand's Ministry of Public Health confirmed a fatal case of the H5N1 infection in a 4-year-old boy. Seven of the country's nine human cases have been fatal.

Vietnam officials said the 22nd case of human infection was confirmed Wednesday, a 3-year-old boy from Lam Dong Province who became the country's 15th fatality.

Vietnam has reported outbreaks in 57 of its 64 provinces, while information was still being gathered in Cambodia, Laos and Indonesia.

None of the eight countries that have reported the highly contagious strain in poultry have it fully under control despite intensive efforts. Many of the countries have poultry in rural areas, and the virus is easily spread. Some 2.3 million poultry have been culled.

China has reported outbreaks in more than half of its provinces, while Japan has confirmed the outbreak of an H5 subtype of the flu.