The patient, Nguyen Thi Thanh Thu, 27, visited a bird flu-infected area four or five days before being diagnosed with the deadly virus.

The healthcare centre in Cho Moi district has reported nine suspected cases, eight of them from Na Tao hamlet. All nine showed symptoms of high fever, breathing difficulty and coughing.

The first A/H5N1 case was detected in Bac Kan on April 5. The patient, Trung Van Hoa, 22, was also from Na Tao hamlet.

At present, local authorities and health agencies are intensifying emergency measures to sterilise infected areas and strictly monitor new outbreaks of the disease.

Cho Moi district has been given 700 doses of Tamiflu vaccine and enough medical equipment to ensure that necessary checkups and treatment can be provided to local patients.