A four-year-old Cambodian girl has become the seventh person to die from bird flu in the country this year, officials said Friday.

The child, from northwestern Banteay Meanchey province, died on July 20, the health ministry and the World Health Organization said in a joint statement. Tests confirmed she had contracted H5N1 avian influenza.

"I urge parents and guardians to keep children away from sick or dead poultry," Cambodian Health Minister Mam Bun Heng said.

All seven of Cambodia`s bird flu cases since January have been fatal. Six of the victims were children.

The girl is the 17th person in Cambodia known to have become infected with the virus and the 15th to die from complications of the disease since 2005, they said.

The H5N1 strain of avian influenza has killed 330 people worldwide since 2003, the statement said.

Source: ANTARA