The death toll from the bird flu outbreaks in Asia rose to at least 20 at the weekend as Thailand announced its sixth fatality, while United Nations agencies warned the disease would not be eradicated up soon.
Thailand's latest victim, the second in a week, was a 13-year-old boy from north-eastern Chaiyaphum province, who had fallen ill after burying chickens that had died at his home, an official said.
The boy died Saturday evening, after being hospitalised late last month and diagnosed with the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza Thursday.
"His condition did not improve after weeks at hospital and it worsened Saturday until doctors could no longer help him," Visit Tangnapakorn, director of Chaiyaphum's provincial health authority, told AFP Sunday.
China reported two new suspected outbreaks in central and south-western provinces Sunday after confirming four outbreaks Saturday, and analysts warned of multi-billion-dollar losses in the country's poultry sector.