China reports soldier died of bird flu-WHO

GENEVA, June 4 (Reuters) A Chinese soldier has died from bird flu, taking the death toll in the world's most populous country to 16, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said today.

The United Nations health agency quoted China's Ministry of Health as saying that the 19-year-old male soldier, who was serving in the southeastern province of Fujian, died on June 3.

The soldier, surnamed Cheng, was diagnosed with the H5N1 virus on May 18 and had been receiving treatment at a military hospital.

REUTERS AM KN2152