THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO) SAID ON THURSDAY IT HAS ASKED IRAN FOR DETAILS ON THE TESTS RUN ON TWO DEAD PNEUMONIA PATIENTS THAT THE GOVERNMENT SAYS WERE NEGATIVE FOR THE H5N1 BIRD FLU STRAIN, REUTERS REPORTED. AN IRANIAN MEDICAL OFFICIAL HAD ON MONDAY SAID A BROTHER AND SISTER WHO DIED IN THE NORTHWEST CITY OF KERMANSHAH WERE FOUND TO HAVE THE VIRUS, BUT IRANIAN HEALTH MINISTER KAMRAN LANKARANI DENIED THE ACCOUNT, INSISTING THE TESTS WERE NEGATIVE. WHO SPOKESWOMAN MARIA CHENG SAID IRANIAN OFFICIALS ALSO TOLD THE AGENCY'S REGIONAL OFFICE IN CAIRO THAT THE SAMPLES WERE NEGATIVE FOR THE DEADLY VIRUS. SHE SAID THE WHO'S REGIONAL STAFF MEMBERS HAVE SOUGHT MORE DETAILS FROM IRAN. "THEY HAVE ASKED THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION ON WHAT KIND OF TESTS THEY RAN," CHENG SAID. IRAN FOUND THE H5N1 STRAIN IN WILD SWANS IN FEBRUARY, BUT HAS NOT HAD A CONFIRMED HUMAN DEATH FROM BIRD FLU. THE VIRUS HAS IN RECENT MONTHS KILLED PEOPLE IN NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES TURKEY, IRAQ AND AZERBAIJAN.
