According to the Chinese news agency Xinhuanet, The APP quoted a spokesman of Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) in Khyber Agency of the tribal areas as saying that a lady had been brought to the hospital with severe viral infections.

He said that the lady was presently kept in Isolation Ward of the hospital, but it was not confirmed that she was infected with the bird flu virus. He informed that the condition of the lady was similar to that of a bird flu patient, but still she could not be declared as patient of the deadly virus unless her blood test reports arrived from National Institute of Health (NIH).

The spokesman clarified that the condition of the said lady was improving and her fever was reducing, which was a good sign. In case of bird flu viral attack, he continued, fever kept on ascending up to dangerous level.

He said that the reason behind keeping the patient in Isolation or Seclusion Ward was that patients with severe viral infections were kept there. The ward was not reserved only for bird flu patients, he added.

He said the blood samples of the lady had been sent to NIH and report would come within 72 hours after which her disease would be diagnosed.

He requested the media persons not to report the lady as bird flu patient unless result of her blood samples arrived.

Local authorities of the southern port city of Karachi on Friday confirmed the outbreak of bird flu in one of its poultry farms.