BANGKOK, Jan. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- A 6-year-old Thai boy, confirmed infected by the avian flu virus, died in hospital on Monday morning, becoming Thailand's first case of human death of the bird flu.

    According to the Bangkokbiznews.com, the boy from Kanchanaburi province, 150 kilometers west from Bangkok, died at midnight Monday at Bangkok's Siriraj hospital.

    Charal Trinwuthipong, director-general of the Disease Control Department of the Public Health Ministry confirmed the death, saying doctors had tried their best to save the boy's life but they failed.

    He said the death case proved that the disease is very dangerous and cooperation was needed to control its outbreak.

    Thai government confirmed two bird flu patients last Friday, including another 7-year-old boy from Suphan Buri province, who remained under intensive care in Bangkok.

    Till Monday, Thailand has reported five suspected bird flu patients. Enditem

Thailand confirms first bird flu death, expands crisis zone     

    BANGKOK, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Thailand confirmed on Monday that a Thai boy died of bird flu in hospital in Bangkok late Sunday andexpands bird flu crisis zone to more provinces in the country.

    Public Health Ministry Spokeswoman Nitaya Janleungmahaphon announced that the boy died last night at midnight, becoming the first victim from the killing disease.

    Officials were still investigating the exact cause of the boy'sdeath, but doctors had confirmed he had bird flu.

    The Boy's health deteriorated very rapidly after being infected."This is typical of bird flu. It is very hard to get infected by this disease, but once you have it you tend to go down very fast,"Nitaya added.

    Meanwhile, the Thai Agricultural ministry announced that Thailand's bird flu crisis zone has been expanded to 10 provinces from two.

    Up to now, a total of seven people, six of them in Vietnam, have died of bird flu, which has infected millions of chickens in some Asian countries. Enditem