HANOI, Jan. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Vietnam has discovered 55 flu type Ainfections and suspected cases, of whom 18, including eight H5N1 infections have died by Wednesday, a health official told Xinhua on Thursday.

    "For caution, all people showing symptoms of pneumonia have to be hospitalized. Therefore, the number of pneumonia and suspects can be very large," said Hoang Thuy Long, director of the country's Hygiene and Epidemiology Institute.

    On Thursday, local media reported that Vietnam had a total of 66 flu type A infections and suspects, of whom 20 died. There are seven possible H5N1 cases and nearly 40 other samples are under testing.

    The country also had 10 H5N1 infections, eight of them died. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has so far confirmed only eight cases of H5N1 infections.

    By Wednesday, flu type A infections and suspects were detected in 16 cities and provinces with the highest number of 23 reported in the capital city, followed by its neighboring province of Ha Tay with six.

    Right now 15 flu patients are under treatment in the Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, of whom three need respiratory aiding. Also in the city, a total of four children are being treated in the National Hospital of Pediatrics, all of them are ingood conditions.

    According to Vietnam's Central Veterinary Department, bird flu,by Wednesday, has appeared in 569 communes in 101 districts in 31 cities and provinces, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, infecting about 5 million poultry. Enditem