The two Thai boys who had been suspected of infecting with bird flu were cleared after lab test, said the public health ministry.

The two boys from the northeastern Nong Khai province were found to be carrying regular human flu after a test conducted by the medical sciences department, head of the ministry Sudarat Keyuraphan was quoted by local newspaper Bangkok Post as saying on Monday.

After showing symptoms of high fever and reported previous contact with chickens, the boys were admitted to the provincial hospital last week.

By far, of the 19 patients suspected to be suffering from avianinfluenza, 17 had been checked and declared free of the disease. Only two people in Ayuthaya and Lop Buri still need to be checked and monitored for possible further complications.

The livestock department will announce on Monday that Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani will no longer be considered disease control zones after no further cases of infection were found in the provinces for 21 consecutive days, said the department's director-general Yukol Limlamthong.

About 1.9 million chickens have been culled after reemergence of bird flu in the country early this month.

Source: Xinhua