A 36-year-old man from Vietnam's northern Thai Binh province, has just been confirmed to be infected with bird flu virus strain H5N1, raising the number of infections in the country to 19 since December 2004.

Testing conducted on Saturday showed that samples from the man named Nguyen Thanh Chung from Vu Thu district were tested positive to the virus, local newspaper the Saigon Liberation reported Sunday.

The patient is now receiving treatment at the Tropical Disease Institute in Hanoi capital, which is also treating a 21-year-old man from the province's Thai Thuy district for H5N1 infection. The21-year-old man named Nguyen Sy Tuan, who needs respiratory assistance, ate goose meat before exhibiting bird flu symptoms, said a local doctor.

In the most recent outbreak starting from Dec. 16, 2004, Vietnam has detected 19 local people to contract H5N1, of whom 12 have died. Bird flu, which has killed and led to the forced culling of more than 1.5 million fowls in 35 cities and provinces in the country since January, is cooling down.

By Saturday, 14 out of the 35 localities have detected no new bird flu-affected spots for at least three weeks, according to Vietnam's Department of Animal Health.

Source: Xinhua