Vietnam reported three more deaths of influenza A/H1N1, bringing the nationwide death toll to 56, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health on Thursday.

The 54th case is an eight-year-old girl from the northern Lang Son province. She was taken to local hospital on December 12 last year with symptoms of fever, cough and stomachache. Six days later, she was transferred to the Vietnam National Hospital of Pediatrics with health deterioration.

The girl died on January 1 due to the respiratory failure. Her sample tested positive to the A/H1N1 virus, said the ministry.

The next case was a 39-year-old man, living in the northern Nam Dinh province. He had a history of leukemia. The man showed the symptoms of fever and cough and was taken to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases on January 7.

The patient died on January 9 due to his health deterioration. His samples tested positive to the A/H1N1 virus, said the ministry.

The 56th case was a 17-month-old girl from the northern Thai Binh province. She had the history of malnutrition. The patient was taken to the Vietnam National Hospital of Pediatrics with fever and difficulties in breathing on January 6.

The child died on January 15. Her samples tested positive to the A/ H1N1 virus, said the ministry. Vietnam has reported 11,166 cases of A/H1N1 influenza since the outbreak of the flu in the country, said the ministry.

(Xinhua News Agency January 22, 2010)