"All the three people -- one adult and two children -- have tested negative for the bird flu virus," said Sok Touch, Health Ministry official for bird flu surveillance.

The three people fell ill with fevers and respiratory symptoms which are like the suspected cases of bird flu, and were admitted to the Calmette hospital in Phnom Penh since Saturday.

The suspected cases came from a village neighboring the one that a three-year-old girl was killed by H5N1 virus on Tuesday.

The girl who died of bird flu was from Kompong Speu province, about 60 km southwest from the capital. She was thought to be infected after playing with sick chickens in her village.

Seven other villagers from the girl's village with fever or symptoms were tested negative for the deadly virus in the French Pasteur Institute in Phnom Penh last week. The girl was the country's first bird flu case this year and the fifth since early 2005.

Cambodia has enhanced preventive measures against the spread of bird flu virus, said Ly Sovann, head of the health ministry's infectious disease department.

He said that Cambodia now has two hospitals in Phnom Penh and in Siem Reap province for special treatment for the disease. And once there is need, three more hospitals will receive sick people and offer treatment, he added.