Fowls have died en masse in Vietnam's central Quang Ngai province and the two northern provinces of Thai Nguyen and Thanh Hoa over the past few days, local media reported Wednesday.

The fowls might have died of having been infected with bird flu virus strain H5, said Labor newspaper. Since early May, nearly 50, 000 ducks, chickens and quails have either died or been culled due to bird flu.

Bird flu, starting to strike Vietnam in December 2003, has hit 10 Vietnamese cities and provinces, namely Quang Ninh, Son La, Nam Dinh, Hai Phong, Bac Giang, Ninh Binh and Bac Ninh in the northern region, Nghe An in the central region, and Can Tho and Dong Thap in the southern one, since early this month.

A 30-year-old man of northern Vinh Phuc province, who exhibited bird flu symptoms on May 10 after slaughtering chickens for a wedding party, has recently been confirmed by Vietnam's Health Ministry as the country's first bird flu patient since mid- November 2005. Not needing a respirator any more, he is now recovering at the Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi capital, said Pioneer newspaper.

To date, Vietnam has reported a total of 94 human cases of bird flu infections. However, the World Health Organization has yet to confirm the latest case.

Source: Xinhua