Around 200 poultry were culled in Yalim Erez District of Van province in eastern Turkey following the deaths of two children who died from bird flu, a high-ranking official said on Thursday.

Local governor Niyazi Tanilir said in a statement that bird flu virus was detected in patients brought from Dogubayazit township to Van, adding necessary measures were taken in Yalim Erez district where a person was brought with the suspicion of bird flu.

Tanilir said around 200 poultry were culled in the district since Wednesday evening, adding that "we take necessary precautions. Sale of live animals, apart from those that have veterinary health report, is banned."

The semi-official Anatolia news agency reported that Fatma Kocyigit, who was taken under medical treatment in Van 100th University Medical Faculty and was diagnosed with bird flu, died earlier Thursday.

Kocyigit, 15, was the sister of the 14-year-old Mehmet Ali Kocyigit who died on Jan. 1, said the report.

Turkish Health Minister Recep Akdag announced Wednesday that Mehmet Ali died from bird flu, adding that the treatment of other members of the Kocyigit family in the hospital in Van province in eastern Turkey continues.

Regional governors are scheduled to meet today to discuss measures to contain bird flu.

The minister's statement contradicted a ministry statement earlier this week, which said that the death of Mehmet Ali Kocyigitwas not caused by bird flu.

The authorities are closely monitoring the H5N1, for fear it could mutate into a form easily passed between humans and spark a pandemic.

Birds in Turkey, Romania, Russia and Croatia have recently tested positive for H5N1.

On Sunday, Igdir Governor's Office said 756 birds had been culled in the area in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

Experts said migratory birds might have brought the virus to Igdir from the Caucasus region.

An outbreak of bird flu in October 2005 in northwestern Turkey triggered the culling of more than 10,000 birds. The virus was identified as the deadly H5N1 strain that has killed dozens of people in Asia since 2003.

Source: Xinhua