A 44-year-old woman who was suspected of having bird flu died on Monday in the southern province of Guangdong, the provincial health department confirmed.

Diagnosed as unknown-type pneumonia, the woman died at 9:25 a.m. after all rescue measures proved ineffectual, according to the health department.

The migrant worker, surnamed Zhang, was found to have had contact with poultry which had died of the illness. She had developed symptoms of fever and a cough since Feb. 16, the department said.

She was hospitalized last Friday in Haifeng County in Shanwei City.

(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2008)