BANGKOK, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-six districts of Thailand's northeastern province of Khon Kaen were on high alert of deadly bird flu after local fowl died mysteriously last week, the provincial governor said on Sunday.

    The 26 districts of the province which have been put on the watch list are being observed particularly closely, with x-rays and health checks being carried out rigorously by authorities, Governor Panchai Bawornrattanapran said.

    Panchai was quoted by the Bangkok Post's web news as saying that15 chickens were reported dead in Muang Kao district in the past week alone but maintained preventative measures have already been taken.

    "Over 200 chickens within a five-kilometer radius of places where chickens died mysteriously have already been destroyed," he said.

    He urged locals to help authorities look out for symptoms of the virus and underlined the importance of eating cooked chicken meat and eggs.

    Thailand is among the countries hardest hit by the deadly H5N1 virus, having recorded 24 human cases, including 16 fatalities, since the outbreak in 2004.