Bird flu kills Vietnamese girl as Thais confirm virus passed between humans

A 10-YEAR-OLD Vietnamese girl became the 12th person to die of bird flu in a month, health officials said yesterday.

Authorities took precautions to stop the disease spreading during upcoming Lunar New Year festivities.

Vo Thi Ngoan from Long An province died on Sunday night after about a week in critical condition on a respirator, said Ngo Van Hoang, director of Long An provincial Preventive Medicine Centre in Ho Chi Minh City.

A dozen people have died of bird flu in Vietnam since December 30, raising concerns that the disease could be re-emerging after an outbreak last year in 10 Asian countries.

The disease has killed 44 people in the past 12 months but has subsided elsewhere in the region.

In the latest case, the young girl developed a fever three weeks ago after helping her family bury dead chickens in her village.

Tests also were being carried out to see if a Cambodian woman who died on Saturday at a hospital in southern Vietnam had the virus, a doctor said.

Meanwhile, scientists have said a Thai woman who died of bird flu probably contracted the disease from her daughter.

The researchers from the Thai Ministry of Public Health warn it is likely there will be more cases where the virus is passed between humans.

Professor John Oxford, a leading British expert, said the virus had broken down the “final door” which prevented it being spread between people.

The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.