The number of people suspected of having bird flu has doubled to 85 in Indonesia, a government official said here Wednesday.

The cases were dispersed in nine out of 30 Indonesian provinces, said I Nyoman Kandun, director general of disease prevention with the Ministry of Health.

Kandun confirmed that four patients have been tested positive of bird flu, which has killed seven Indonesians so far.

The ministry's earlier report put bird flu cases at 42 nationwide.

Source: Xinhua