Number of suspected bird flu cases reaches 32

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 the two teenagers who died earlier this week had bird flu and World Health Organisation spokeswoman Christine McNab in Geneva said scientists were closing in on identifying the virus as the deadly H5N1 strain.