Bird flu has killed a 14-year old Thai girl, raising the country's toll from the disease to 12 this year, the Public Health Ministry said on Monday.

"The laboratory test result showed today that the girl had H5N1," Charal Trinwuthipong, a special adviser to the Public Health Ministry, said in the statement referring to the deadly form of the disease.

The ministry put the girl on the list of suspected cases after she died on Oct. 19 after being ill with flu-like symptoms for 11 days, Charal said.

The ministry was awaiting laboratory test results on another suspected bird flu patient who died in the northern province of Kamphaengphet, Charal said.

So far, 493 areas in 51 provinces are under bird flu watch, of which 280 areas in 41 provinces were confirmed to have been hit by the bird flu virus, the statement said.

Source: CD/Agencies