Hefei (China), March 29 - China’s Ministry of Health Thursday confirmed the death of a 16-year-old boy due to H5N1 avian influenza in the Anhui, China. The new case brings the total number of deaths due to bird flu to 15 since 2003.

The student, surnamed Wu from Bengbu City of Anhui, died Tuesday in hospital where he was being treated for symptoms like pneumonia, fever and muscle aches, a spokesman for the Anhui provincial health department said.

The boy developed symptoms of pneumonia, fever and muscle aches on March 17 and was admitted to hospital on March 18.

Tests by the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday confirmed that he had been infected with the H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus.

Local health authorities said they are monitoring those who had close contact with the patient. So far they have not shown symptoms of the disease, and there has been no reported outbreak of the disease among local fowl.

The local authority has not provided information on how the young student may have contracted the disease.

According to Anhui health authorities, the Health Ministry has informed the World Health Organization, health agencies in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and some other countries.

China has reported a total of 24 human cases of bird flu since 2003.

The bird flu virus has killed at least 167 people worldwide since 2003, according to the World Health Organization. Indonesia, worst hit by the virus, has reported 70 human deaths by the bird flu, the country’s health ministry said on Thursday.(Xinhua)

Tags:Bird-Flu | Infectious-Diseases