A 5-year old Indonesian girl, who died on last Thursday, was positively infected by avian influenza, bringing the total death to 77, health Ministry said in Jakarta Wednesday.

The girl had history contact with fowl, as scores of chickens died in her residence, an official of the anti-bird flu center of the ministry Joko Suyono said here.

"The results of two laboratory tests were positive," Suyono told Xinhua.

He said that scores of specimen of blood of people in her family were taken to be examined for avian influenza.

"More than 20 chickens belonging to her family and neighbors have died immediately," he said.

The official said that the girl had germs of the disease earlier this month and started to get medical treatment.

"She went to a doctor on May 8 and at May 15 she was hospitalized in Solo, Central Java," said Sugiyono.

The girl died a day after shifted to another hospital in the city, he said.

Indonesia has been the front line in fighting the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus.

The country has agreed to share its virus sample to the World Health Organization for the scientific purpose.

Experts fear millions of people could be killed should the virus mutate to a certain level that is transmittable among humans.

Source: Xinhua