The first person to die of avian flu in North America was a registered nurse in a central Alberta hospital.
The woman's family says she grew up in China and moved to Alberta on her own to studying nursing.
The family has released a statement that says the woman, whose name is not being released, worked at the Red Deer Regional Hospital.
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The World Health Organization has said she was in her late 20s.
The family says she had been married for 1 1/2 years, had saved for a vacation to her homeland, and made the trip with her mother in December.
Relatives say they are devastated by her death, but are co-operating with health authorities while requesting media respect their privacy.