WHO confirms Myanmar's first human case of bird flu

GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday confirmed Myanmar's first human case of bird flu in a seven year-old girl who survived the disease.

The United Nations agency, in a statement, said that the girl in Shan state developed symptoms on November 21 in an area where there had been an outbreak of the H5N1 virus in poultry, and was hospitalized six days later. "She has now recovered."

Samples taken from the girl were confirmed as having the virus at a WHO laboratory in Japan after first testing positive at a laboratory in Yangon, the WHO said.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay)