The Ministry of Health on September 9 confirmed five deaths from the A/H1N1 flu so far.

Of the deaths, three cases were in Ho Chi Minh City, one in the southern province of Dong Nai, and one in the south central province of Khanh Hoa.

A review of the fatalities showed that they were all due to complications from chronic conditions such as mental problems, diabetes or high blood pressure, the treatment sub-committee reported.

The board also noted that late hospitalisation of patients makes treatment ineffective, stressing the importance of early detection.

Deputy Health Minister Trinh Quan Huan asked relevant agencies to continue investigating the cases which resulted in death to better inform diagnosis and treatment.

Dr Nguyen Van Kinh from the Institute of Contagious and Tropical Diseases emphasised that his institute has acquired a good number of biological substances needed for lab testing.

He made this confirmation to ease public worries over the possible shortage of such substances amid the complicated developments of the epidemic.

Vietnam is using substances supplied by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which may cause a possible world shortage if the epidemic spreads worldwide.

WHO, however, says such a concern is unnecessary as this is unlikely to occur.

As winter is approaching in Vietnam —providing ideal conditions for the virus to develop—institutes of preventive medicine are conducting research on quick tests, which may bring higher efficiency at lower costs--just one-sixth of the price of the current Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test.

The epidemic is spreading in Vietnam, with an additional 110 confirmed cases reported on September 9 alone, bringing the total tally to 4,060.

Three-fourths of those cases have been released from hospital while the rest are under quarantine and receiving medical treatment.

All patients are reported to be in stable condition./.