Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari said Friday the avian influenza is suspected of causing the deaths of a father and his two daughters in the town of Tangerang over the last six days.

"We suspect bird flu," she told a press conference at the Ministry of Health compound here.

Supari said the medical team initially suspected either the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) or bird flu as the cause of the deaths but laboratory test result showed that "it is closer to bird flu."

She said the World Health Organization has recommended further laboratory test in Hong Kong.

"Within one week from now, we expect a definite result," said Supari.

The government has confirmed bird flu outbreak among chickens but there has been no reported casualty from the disease.

A poultry worker in South Sulawesi province has been tested positive of bird flu but he remains healthy.

Source: Xinhua