A 28-year-old man from Cambodia has died of bird flu at a hospital in the capital, the second victim of the deadly virus in the kingdom, the health minister said Thursday.

The victim, Meas Ran, came from Kampot province which borders Vietnam and was from Pram Sasor village, 20 kilometres away from the home of the first victim, who died in January after travelling for treatment to Vietnam.

"The tests show that the man had H5(N1 virus). It is in the bird flu group. We sent a sample on Wednesday to France for further confirmation," health minister Nuth Sokhom told AFP as he travelled to Kampot province.

The victim died on Tuesday, he said.

- AFP

 PHNOM PENH, March 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Cambodia and the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday confirmed the country´s second man died of avian influenza.

    In a joint statement, Cambodia´s Ministry of Health and the WHOconfirmed that the 28-year-old man, from Kampot Province, died of H5 virus.

    It said that the man, died on March 22, developed symptoms of bird flu on March 17 and was hospitalized in Phnom Penh on March 21. The laboratory tests, on the same day, by the Pasteur Institute in Phnom Penh confirmed that the man was infected with H5 avian influenza virus.

    The Cambodian government immediately launched an investigation to search for possible additional cases and identify possible sources of exposure to the virus.

    Numerous chickens have also died in the area and samples taken from sick chickens have tested positive for avian influenza, it said.

    The results from the investigation indicate the deceased man had contact with sick poultry. But an 18 year-old boy initially identified as an additional suspected case has tested negative forthe avian influenza virus.

    Samples taken from 27 other people, including family contacts of the confirmed case and Phnom Penh medical staff involved in hiscare, have all tested negative for H5 avian influenza infection.

    Results from another six people from Kampot Province have also tested negative for H5 influenza virus.

    Cambodia´s previous case, a 25-year-old woman who died in late January, was also from Kampot Province but lived in another district.

    The majority of poultry in Cambodia are raised in small backyard flocks in rural areas, making surveillance for outbreaks especially challenging.

    The investigation team, grouped health and agricultural officials, is continuing its work in Kampot Province, joined by staff from the WHO country office and the Pasteur Institute based in Phnom Penh.

    Moreover, a campaign to educate rural populations about the dangers of contact with dead or diseased poultry is being undertaken by the government, with support from WHO.