A Thai man in his middle age has died of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus in northeastern Thailand last month, public health ministry source quoted by local media said on Tuesday.

The 59-year-old man of northeastern province of Nong Bua Lam Phu died on August 10 at hospital and laboratory test just confirmed the H5N1 virus, a health official quoted by Thai multimedia group the Nation.

The new deadly case brings the death toll in the country from the H5N1 virus this year to three.

Thailand is among the countries hardest hit by the deadly H5N1 virus, having recorded 25 human cases, including 17 fatalities, since the outbreak in 2004.

(Xinhua News Agency September 26, 2006)