A 44-year-old woman who was suspected of having bird flu died on Monday in the southern province of Guangdong, the provincial health department confirmed.

The migrant female worker, surnamed Zhang, was found to have had contact with poultry died of illness and have had developed symptoms of fever and cough since Feb. 16, the department said.

The patient was hospitalized last Friday in Haifeng County in Shanwei City.

(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2008)