The Center for Health Protection of Hong Kong confirmed here Tuesday that a girl has tested positive for influenza A/H3, a normal circulating strain of seasonal flu, dispelling worries towards a possible outbreak of deadly H5N1 avian influenza in the city.

The center's Controller Dr. Thomas Tsang said the six-year-old girl was admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital on March 2 and her three- year-old sister, who also suffered from flu-like illness symptoms, died on March 1.

A local newspaper reported Tuesday that the three-year-old girl's death was probably caused by the deadly H5N1 strain of virus, triggering worries of possible outbreak of human-to-human bird flu pandemic.

According to the Center for Health Protection, the younger girl came down with fever, cough, runny nose and vomiting on Feb. 29 and consulted a private doctor on the same day. She sought medical treatment from Tuen Mun Hospital on March 1, but her condition deteriorated and she died that evening.

Dr. Tsang said the girl's death was a rare occurrence and a post-mortem will be conducted on Tuesday.

The six-year-old girl in hospital came down with similar symptoms on Feb. 26 and consulted a private doctor. She was sent to Tuen Mun Hospital on March 2 and is now in stable condition. Test results showed the girl had not contracted avian flu.

Dr. Tsang said the parents and a brother did not have any flu- like symptoms. The girls had not traveled outside Hong Kong recently, nor come into contact with poultry, and there was no unusual respiratory illnesses in their schools.

He said health education and flu-prevention measures have been stepped up in their schools. Noting the flu peak will continue for several weeks and the number of flu outbreaks in schools is on the rise, he called on the public to take precautions against the disease.

(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2008)