HANOI, Feb. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- Vietnam reported as many as 17 casesof flu type A infections and suspects between Monday afternoon andTuesday afternoon, bringing the total number of patients to 248.

    Meanwhile, one local patient from the southern province of Ca Mau died, raising the total number of fatalities to 37, the country 's Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday afternoon.

    Of the local patients, who came from 31 localities including 13in the north and 18 in the south, 122 have fully recovered, and 89remained hospitalized.

    By Tuesday afternoon, the capital city of Hanoi, the northern province of Ha Tay and Ho Chi Minh City still recorded the highestnumbers of flu type A infections and suspects, with 82, 28 and 26 respectively.

    Meanwhile, 2,568 communes of 57 cities and provinces nationwidewere stricken by bird flu, which killed and led to the forced culling of 37.8 million fowls, or about 15 percent of Vietnam's poultry population. Enditem