Bird flu has resurfaced in different parts of Asia, with human deaths reported in Indonesia, Burma, Pakistan and China and fresh outbreaks plaguing other countries during the winter months when the virus typically flares, officials and scientists say.

Pakistan confirmed the country's first death from the bird flu virus on Saturday, the health ministry says in a press statement

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of the possibility that the H5N1 virus could be transmitted from person to person, based on findings that the father of a 24-year-old man who died of bird flu in eastern Jiangsu Province, China early this week was also infected with the deadly virus.

The condition of the 52-year-old father, who was identified only with his surname, Lu, is now being closely monitored after he showed symptoms of H5N1 on Monday and was confirmed on Wednesday to have the virus

A 24-year-old man in east China was confirmed to be the 17th bird flu victim who died Sunday, making it the country's latest fatality from the H5N1 virus, report said.

According to Jiangsu provincial health department, the victim was hospitalized last Tuesday after he was diagnosed with pneumonia

Saudi Arabia's agriculture ministry on Wednesday said two new cases of avian influenza were detected at separate egg production facilities in the capital Riyadh.

The Saudi Press Agency quoted the ministry as saying that the H5N1 outbreaks occurred at the Thadiq and Kharj governorates

"The risk of an avian influenza pandemic is still with us," World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Margaret Chan warned Friday, saying a pandemic is still possible.

"Don't let your guards off," Chan told reporters after discussing with Chinese officials plans for next year's Olympic Games in the capital