New Delhi, March 26 (IANS): A 21-year-old student in Vietnam has become the first person to die of avian flu in the country, according to media reports on Tuesday.

Vietnam's Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) confirmed that the male was a student at Nha Trang University and died from an H5N1 subtype of influenza virus infection, Asianews.network reported.

The health ministry also emphasised the "need for strengthening control of avian influenza to prevent transmission to humans".

An epidemiologic investigation by the ministry found no sick or dead poultry near the deceased man's home, but wild birds were found trapped near his home before and after the Lunar New Year holiday, as per a statement translated and posted by Avian Flu Diary, an infectious disease news blog. The man died from his infection on March 23, the officials said.

Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh, Khanh Hoa, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Long An, and Tien Giang are the provinces and cities where bird flu outbreaks have been recorded since January.

The health ministry said "as the seasons are changing, the weather shows unexpected changes that are favourable factors for virus development", Asianews.network reported.

The ministry has also asked the health officials to increase surveillance to detect new cases.