Girl (16) dies from bird flu in Vietnam

A girl (16) has died of bird flu in southern Vietnam to bring the death toll from the disease in Asia to  16.

A girl (16) has died of bird flu in southern Vietnam to bring the death toll from the disease in Asia to  16.

The World Health Organisation has not confirmed the death of the teenage girl in Soc Trang province, a spokesman for the UN health agency in Hanoi said.

Eleven of the deaths have been in Vietnam and five others have died of the flu in Thailand. Eight more countries have reported outbreaks of bird flu.

Soc Trang in the Mekong Delta is one of the southern provinces hardest hit by the epidemic, which was officially disclosed early in January.

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Some 12 million of Vietnam's 250 million poultry have been culled or killed by the virus since, and the disease has spread to 56 of the country's 64 provinces and cities. Hanoi has banned the transport and sale of poultry and eggs nationwide.

Vietnamese health authorities believe the victims caught the flu from contact with sick chickens but the WHO has said it was investigating the possibility that two of those who died in Vietnam caught it from another person.

Government officials were expected on Thursday to brief diplomats about the bird flu outbreak. Vietnam has appealed for donations of protective gear for cullers, medicine and expertise.