HANOI, Feb. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Vietnam reported additional two cases of flu type A infections and suspects from southern Can Tho city between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday afternoon, bringing the total to 297.

    Of the patients, including 192 in the north and 105 in the south, 41 have died, 97 remained hospitalized and 159 fully recovered, the Ministry of Health said on Thursday afternoon.

    The capital city of Hanoi, its neighboring province of Ha Tay and Ho Chi Minh City still have the highest numbers of flu type A infections and suspects, with 99, 32 and 29 respectively.

    The ministry reported a total of 22 cases of H5N1 infections from 13 localities as of Thursday afternoon, including 15 fatalities.

    On Thursday, Vietnam culled 1,504 fowls in central Quang Binh Province and northern Phu Tho Province. To date, 2,573 communes of57 localities nationwide have been stricken by bird flu, which haskilled or led to the forced killing of 38.3 million poultry, or 15.1 percent of the country's fowl population. Enditem