What is the number of countries mentioned in this news report? [br] [originalte

The list of countries known to have the relatively new and deadly strain of bird flu is rapidly growing. The focus now is on Indonesia where tests will soon confirm whether or not the bird flu which killed several million chickens there is the often fatal H5N1, already confirmed in 5 other countries in the region. Reports of an outbreak in Laos are also being investigated.

The United States military said an American soldier was killed in an attack east of Baghdad. Earlier, the military said coalition forces detained 19 suspected terrorists over the past two days in central and northern Iraq.