Seven individuals are being watched by the Department of Health (DOH) after becoming the latest "suspect cases" of the bird flu virus.

According to Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) Director Soccoro Lupisan, they are waiting for laboratory test results on the samples from the seven.

"There are seven new samples from suspected cases. They get isolated until we get negative results. That is our standard procedure," said Lupisan in an interview.

She said the seven became suspect cases after they showed fever, cough, and cold, and other flu-like symptoms.

The health department defined "suspect cases" as those who showed flu-like symptoms and have had direct contact with bird-flu infected animals.

Prior to these new cases, Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial, said there have been 34 suspect cases.

Of the 34 suspect cases reported since the Department of Agriculture’s declaration of the bird flu outbreaks, the health department said 30 were found in Pampanga while the remaining four were from Nueva Ecija.

"As of August 24, all were negative for Influenza A H5N6," said Ubial in a press conference. DMS