Vietnam confirms 2nd human case died of bird flu in 2009

HANOI, Feb. 27 (Chinese media) -- A 32-year-old man from Vietnamese northern Ninh Binh province, who had been tested positive to H5N1 virus, died of the virus.

The patient died on Wednesday after 13 days of being treated at the National Institute of Infectious and Tropical Disease, the local newspaper Pioneer reported Friday.

The patient, named Cu Van Chieu, was taken to hospital on Feb. 13 with severe breathing difficulty. He had contact with fowls before developing bird flu symptoms. He is the third bird flu patient in Vietnam this year and the 2nd human case died of the H5N1 virus this year.

Chinese media reporter tried to contact with Nguyen Huy Nga, head of the Department of Preventive Health and Environment under the Ministry of Health, but the health official refused to provide any information regarding to the 2nd human case died of the bird flu.

Vietnam has reported three human cases of bird flu so far this year, including an eight-year-old girl from northern Thanh Hoa province in early January, and a 23-year-old woman from northern Quang Ninh province who has died of the virus, and the newly 2nd human case died of the disease.

The eight-year-old girl has been recovered much after being treated on time.

In 2008, bird flu killed five people in Vietnam.

So far this year, 11 provinces of Vietnam nationwide have been hit by avian flu, including four provinces in Mekong Delta, namelyCa Mau, Soc Trang, Hau Giang and Bac Lieu, four northern provincesof Bac Ninh, Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh and the newly-confirmed Dien Bien, two central provinces of Nghe An and Quang Tri, and southern province Khanh Hoa, according to Vietnam's Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Friday.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung on Thursday urged ministries, agencies and localities to be more drastic implementing measures to bring bird flu under control.