SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean health authorities said Tuesday they have stepped up quarantine measures on tourists and travelers from Vietnam as a precaution, after the first bird flu-related death this year was reported there.

The intensified quarantine measures, including body temperature checks, will be applied to people who recently visited the Southeast Asian country, according to the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs.

The move follows the reported death of a 38-year-old woman in Vietnam last Friday who was infected with the H5N1 virus, marking the first death this year caused by the disease, also known as avian influenza.

Since 2003, 112 people have been confirmed infected with the virus in Vietnam, with 57 deaths attributed to the disease.

The ministry is asking South Koreans to stay away from chicken and other poultry-rearing farms when visiting Southeast Asian countries and to wash their hands after any outdoor activities.

People who feel the onset of a high fever, coughing or sore throat after returning home from recent visits to the region should report immediately to health authorities, the ministry said. (Yonhap)