Azerbaijan investigating possible family cluster of bird flu cases, WHO says

GENEVA (CP) - Health authorities in Azerbaijan are investigating a worrisome cluster of possible human cases of H5N1 avian influenza, the World Health Organization said Thursday.

A total of 11 suspected cases, including eight members of the same family, are being assessed, WHO spokeswoman Maria Cheng said.

Of the 11 suspect cases, three people have died and one is listed in serious condition in hospital.

"Currently there are signs that suggest this could be a human H5N1 cluster," Cheng said. "But we don't know that right now. We still need to do more thorough epidemiological investigation and wait for the lab results."

"It certainly looks a bit suspicious, but we don't have enough information to draw conclusions."

Though all human cases of avian flu are potentially dangerous, WHO pays particular attention to clusters of cases. While clusters may be the result of several people from the same family or village each having exposure to infected birds, they could also signal that the virus has passed from one person to another.