The young 15-year-old girl from Raniya died on Tuesday after contracting a severe lung infection. Bird flu has not been confirmed as officials are awaiting test results from samples sent to a laboratory in neighbouring Jordan.
According to Dr Abdul Jalil Naji, head of the bird-flu office of Iraq's Health Ministry, the girl�s family kept chickens in their home some of which died recently. Samples from the birds are also being tested for bird flu.
Meanwhile, international donors have pledged US$1.9 billion, exceeding the World Bank�s expectations, to help in the global war against a bird flu pandemic.
The World Bank had appealed for at least $1.5 billion to prevent a bird flu pandemic. It has said that approximately 45% of the funding would be spent in Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and Laos � countries hit especially hard by the H5N1 bird flu virus.
The United States pledged the largest amount from a single country, $334 million, mostly in grants and technical assistance. The US is expected to take a leadership role in managing the funds.
France starts poultry vaccination as bird flu spreads (update)