Bird flu claims three more in Asia

Three more people have died in South-East Asia from bird flu.

Three more people have died in South-East Asia from bird flu.Health officials say two people have died in Vietnam and another in Thailand, taking the total death toll to 16.Vietnamese officials confirmed a man in his mid 20s who died earlier this week, and a teenage girl who died in late January have tested positive to the most virulent strain of the bird flu virus. Vietnam has recorded the highest number of deaths so far. The avian flu has affected at least 10 countries and tens of millions of chickens have been killed in an effort to stop the spread of the disease.The latest deaths come as the World Health Organisation (WHO) warns no part of Asia is safe from the outbreak.WHO says it now believes the virus has been in the region longer than previously thought, and it says the outbreak is continuing to spread faster than it can be controlled with no Asian country beyond its potential reach.(Source: ABC Health News, Feb 2004)