JAKARTA, April 30 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesia Health Ministry said Wednesday a three-year-old Indonesian boy died of avian influenza, bringing the total fatality to 108 out of 133 cases in the country.

    Nyoman Kandun, director-general of the Communicable Disease Control of the Health Ministry, told Xinhua on telephone from Bali Island that the boy, who was from Central Java province of the most populated Java island, died of avian influenza on April 23 after suffering from respiratory problems.

    He said that the boy had historical contact with birds. Several chickens had suddenly died in the neighborhood where the boy lived.

    The highly pathogenic H5N1 virus has spread to 32 out of 33 provinces in Indonesia since 2003, according to the health ministry.

    Indonesia has grappled with major problem on its effort to stop the spread of the virus, including huge territory, traditional way of rising chickens on back yard and lack of obedience of provincial administration in implementing the Jakarta decision to stop the virus spread.