The number of suspected bird flu cases in humans reached at least 32 in Turkey today, while the UN health agency confirmed at least two patients – a brother and sister who died – tested positive for bird flu.

A British laboratory has found that two Turkish teenagers who died earlier this week had bird flu, authorities said, and a health official in Geneva said scientists were closing in on identifying the virus as the deadly H5N1 strain.

An 11-year-old girl died today of suspected bird flu in eastern Turkey – days after her brother and sister succumbed to the disease – and their doctor said they probably contracted the illness by playing with dead chickens.