KATHMANDU, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Nepal has found a patient from Damak, eastern Nepal, to be suspected case of human bird flu infection, Nepali national news agency RSS reported on Sunday.

    Damak of Jhapa district is some 320 km east of Nepali capital Kathmandu. In mid-January, the first case of bird flu in poultry was detected in Kakarbhitta of the same district.

    According to the report, bird flu has been suspected to have infected Santosh Dahal from Damak who was taken to nearby BP Koirala Institute for Health Sciences (BPKIHS) in Dharan. Communication spokesperson for BPKIHS Bijay Rimal said bird flu virus has been suspected to have been found in Dahal"e;s blood sample during test in institute"e;s laboratory.

    He said Dahal"e;s blood sample has been sent for further tests in a sophisticated laboratory. He said Dahal was showing symptoms of bird flu infection. The BPKIHS however did not reveal where Dahal"e;s blood sample was sent.

    Rimal, however, said it cannot be officially confirmed whether Dahal is infected with bird flu yet as the institute lacked a specific lab to test bird flu. Dahal was referred to Dharan by Lifeline Hospital in Damak following three-day treatment there.