HANOI, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- A number of chicks raised by a household in Vietnam's southern Dong Thap province died of being suspected to have contracted bird flu, according to local newspaper Vietnam Agriculture on Friday.

    The local Veterinary Bureau has culled over 100 ill chicks in the flock in Lap Vo district. Specimens from the ill fowls are being tested for bird flu virus strain H5N1.

    Bird flu now is hitting two communes in the two northern provinces of Dien Bien and Cao Bang, according to the Department of Animal Health under the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

    Bird flu outbreaks in Vietnam, starting in December 2003, have killed and led to the forced culling of dozens of millions of fowls in the country.