Vietnam has confirmed its first human death from avian influenza in more than a year, when a 4-year-old boy died of the H5N1 strain, Vietnamese health officials confirmed on April 9.
The boy died after being hospitalized in southern Dong Thap province. He had apparently developed fever and other symptoms on March 23 after his family slaughtered a chicken they purchased in a village where tests later confirmed an outbreak among poultry.
This death is is not related to an outbreak of a new strain of avian influenza in China, sources say. Vietnam has not reported any traces of the H7N9 viturs, which has killed seven in China since February.
The last human fatality related to avian influenza was reported in February 2012.