MOSCOW, March 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Azerbaijan's Health Ministry has confirmed that three people have died of the H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus, Russia's Itar-Tass news agency reported Tuesday.

    The H5NI strain was detected in the victims after using equipment provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), the ministry's spokesperson Samaya Mamedove was quoted by Itar-Tass as saying.

    All three victims, who died earlier this month, came from the Salyan region in southern Azerbaijan, the report said.

    Azerbaijan first reported the detection of the H5N1 strain last month in wild birds on the Caspian Sea coast, and a team of WHO experts have been sent to the country to provide technical supportin fighting the outbreak.

    Although H5N1 has remained primarily a disease affecting birds,scientists fear the deadly virus could mutate into a form that could easily spread among humans. Enditem