Five people in a family from Vietnam丩s northern Hai Phong city have been hospitalized for being suspected to contract bird flu virus strain H5N1, a local doctor said on Saturday.

    The five-person family headed by Vu Van Son from the rural district of Kien Thuy were admitted to the city-based Viet-Tiep Hospital on March 22 after they had breathing difficulty, an official of the city丩s Department of Health said on condition of anonymity.

    Son丩s family had a flock of poultry culled during a recent outbreak of bird flu in Hai Phong, the official said, noting that the city has detected no new affected spots in its territory for 13 days.

    Samples from the five patients are being tested for H5N1. The patients are in good health condition, the official said, refusingto give further details.

    Vietnam丩s Health Ministry has just confirmed that a total of 28local people have been infected with H5N1 since December 26, 2004,of whom 14 have died.

    Now, three local bird flu patients are under treatment. A five-year-old boy named Hoang Trong Duong from central Quang Binh is receiving treatment at the Central Hospital in central Hue city; and a 21-year-old man named Nguyen Sy Tuan from northern Thai Binhprovince, and a 40-year-old woman named Nguyen Thi Lan from northern Quang Ninh province at the Institute of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi capital.

    The Hanoi-based institute is treating a 21-year-old man named Nguyen Sy Tuan from northern Thai Binh province, who still needs respiratory assistance.

    To prevent spread of H5N1 among fowls and from poultry to people, the ministry has asked all cities and provinces nationwide to intensify disinfection of all poultry facilities in their territory. The nationwide hygiene campaign will be conducted for one month starting on April 1.

    People丩s Committees of localities must inform every household about methods of detecting and reporting new bird flu outbreaks, and ensure that local residents will not slaughter and use sick fowls, the ministry said. The campaign and preventive measures will also be disseminated widely via mass media.

    Bird flu has stricken a total of 35 cities and provinces of Vietnam since January. As of Friday, 25 localities have detected no new affected spots for three weeks, meeting requirements to declare an end to the disease.

    The 10 remaining localities include An Giang, Bac Lieu, Ben Tre,Can Tho, Dong Thap, Hau Giang, Tra Vinh and Vinh Long in the southern region, and Hai Duong and Hai Phong in the northern region, said Vietnam丩s Department of Animal Health.

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HANOI, March 28 (Xinhuanet) -- A 41-year-old woman from Vietnam´s northern Hai Phong city has been hospitalized for being suspected to contract bird flu virus strain H5N1.

    The woman, named Vu Thi Hoan from Kien Thuy district, was admitted to a hospital in the city on March 25 after suffering cough and breathing difficulty, according to the newspaper Youth on Monday.

    She lives in a bird flu-affected area near a five-person family who were admitted to the city-based Viet-Tiep Hospital on March 22with bird flu symptoms. Specimens from the family members are being tested for H5N1.

    Vietnamese Health Ministry has just confirmed that 28 local people have been infected with H5N1 since Dec. 26, 2004, of whom 14 died.

    To prevent spread of H5N1 among fowls and from poultry to people, the ministry has urged all cities and provinces nationwide to intensify disinfection of their poultry facilities. A nationwide hygiene campaign will be conducted for one month starting on April 1.