French travellers may have virus

PRELIMINARY tests conducted on three people who returned to the Indian Ocean French island of La Reunion after a trip to Thailand indicated they may have the H5N1 bird flu virus, authorities said yesterday.

The three people visited a bird park in Thailand during their trip and had close contacts with birds, said Helene Monard, a French Health Ministry spokeswoman.

La Reunion authorities said a 43-year-old man was admitted to hospital with a fever and strong headaches on Saturday, three days after spending a week in Thailand.