A person from Vietnam's northern Quang Ninh province has become the first local HIV carrier to be infected with bird flu virus strain H5N1.

Specimens from a HIV carrier from Bai Chay town, whose initialsare H.T.B, were tested positive to H5N1, local newspaper Labor on Thursday quoted the Institute of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi as saying.

Local health officials did not disclose further information about the patient such as sex and age.

After being admitted to the Bai Chay Hospital on March 21, the patient was transferred to the institute, and then the Quang Ninh General Hospital in the province. Bird flu symptoms have gone, butthe HIV carrier is physically weak.

The Preventive Medicine Department under Vietnam's Health Ministry confirmed 44 human cases of bird flu infection between Dec. 16, 2004 and April 13, of whom 16 died. The institute is treating three bird flu patients, and all of them are in stable condition.

Source: Xinhua