7:52am UK, Monday January 02, 2006

Health officials in Turkey have said that a 14-year-old boy did not die from bird flu.

There had been fears that his death represented the first death outside south-east Asia from the disease.

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Problems increase in Turkey

However, tests on the boy and three other members of his family showed no indication of bird flu or of any other flu virus. 

Results have not yet been revealed for two other people from the same region of eastern Turkey who were also being tested for the disease.

The five people still ill have failed to respond to antibiotics after exhibiting flu symptoms.

Turkey, which lies in the path of migratory birds that are believed to spread the virus, has suffered two outbreaks of the highly contagious disease among poultry in the past three months.

The latest outbreak occurred only last week in the eastern province of Igdir.

This had prompted fears that the boy's death was caused by bird flu.