Laboratory tests indicate that a 21-year-old Thai initially believed to have contracted the potentially deadly bird flu virus was not infected by the avian influenza virus after all.

Paichit Warachit, director general of the Public Health Ministry 's Medical Sciences Department, said Sunday that tests onthe suspected avian influenza patient were carried out twice and symptoms of the disease were not found.

No abnormality was found in his lungs, according to Paichit, who said that the results of the patient have been sent to both the minister and deputy ministers of public health, concerned officials and to the public health office in Samut Sakhon province,the home of the patient.

Nine other family members of the unidentified patient -- who share the same home in Samut Sakhon where he was born -- were also tested and found to be in good health, Thawat Suntrajarn, director general of the Disease Control Department, was quoted by the Thai News Agency as saying.

Thawat said only three bird flu patients have been found since the beginning of 2005.

Since its outbreak in 2003, the virus has infected at least 20 people in Thailand, 13 of whom have died.