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Although the number of reported outbreaks in Vietnam has declined over the past six weeks, two people have died from the H5N1 virus in that country in the past 2 weeks.
This time, it is a 15 year-old boy from Thanh Hoa province, about 150 kilometers south of Hanoi. Although he died on Friday, confirmation that he was infected with avian flu was announced today.
Vietnam confirms bird flu death, 2nd case in as many weeks
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) -- Bird flu has killed a teenage boy in Vietnam, the second human death announced in as many weeks as the virus continues to spread among poultry, health officials confirmed Tuesday.
The 15-year-old boy from Thanh Hoa province, about 150 kilometers (95 miles) south of Hanoi, died Friday while being transferred from a local hospital to the capital city. Samples taken from the patient came back positive for the H5N1 virus a day later, said Nguyen Huy Nga, director of Vietnam's Preventive Medicine Department.
Nga said the boy had been in contact with ducklings bought from a local market.
The latest death marks the country's seventh human case this year, four of which were fatal.
Last week, health officials confirmed a woman who was seven months pregnant also died from the virus.
The H5N1 virus continues to spread among poultry in Vietnam, killing or forcing the slaughter of more than 200,000 birds this year.
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