KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 (Reuters) - Five people living near the site of a bird flu outbreak close to the Malaysian capital are in hospital with flu-like symptoms, the country"e;s health minister said on Friday.

Chua Soi Lek said the five -- from the village Paya Jaras Hilir and aged between 11 months and 35 years -- were in stable condition.

He said they had been living within 300 metres (984 ft) of an area in Malaysia"e;s central state of Selangor where the H5N1 bird flu was detected this week -- the first case since March last year.

"They went to the hospital to get treatment and have been isolated because of the symptoms," Chua said in a statement.

Seventeen villagers who reported mild fever had been placed under home surveillance, he said.

"So far, there"e;s still no case of avian influenza infection among humans," Chua added.

Malaysia reported on Wednesday its first case of H5N1 bird flu in more than a year in what authorities called an isolated incident.

Chua also said culling of chickens within a one-kilometre radius of the outbreak, comprising four villages, which began on Thursday, would continue.