A 20-year-old man from Vietnam"e;s northern Ha Tay province died of bird flu, becoming the first death over the past 17 months, Vietnam News Agency reported Saturday.

The man from Ba Vi district died in the Hanoi capital-based Tropical Disease Hospital on June 10, after eight days of showing the disease, the agency quoted Vietnamese Vice Minister of Health Trinh Quan Huan as saying.

Specimens from the man were tested positive to bird flu virus strain H5N1, the agency said, noting that his family has raised 20 chickens and ducks.

Vietnam has reported five human cases of bird flu infections since early this year, of whom two from the northern provinces of Thanh Hoa and Vinh Phuc were discharged from hospitals, and two others from the northern provinces of Ha Nam and Thai Nguyen are being treated at the Tropical Disease Hospital.

The Vietnamese government has asked localities and relevant agencies to strengthen bird flu prevention.

To date, Vietnam has reported a total of 98 human cases of bird flu infections, including 43 fatalities.

Since early May, bird flu has hit poultry in 18 Vietnamese cities and provinces nationwide, according to the country"e;s Department of Animal Health.

Source: Xinhua