New bird flu case reported in China

A new bird flu case on Thursday reported in China's Hunan province, taking the total number of human H7N9 avian influenza cases in the South Central province to 17 this year.

The 67-year-old patient in Hengyang city, who was diagnosed with the flu, was critical, the Hunan provincial disease control and prevention centre said.

He had come in contact with poultry and fell ill, the centre said.

People who have had close contact with the patient have not shown symptoms of fever or coughing. Hunan has reported as many as 17 human H7N9 infections, including five fatalities this year, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

In addition to Hunan, human infections have also been reported in Guangdong, Guizhou, Hubei, Henan, Jiangxi and Shandong provinces and in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Macao.

An early onset of this year's human H7N9 virus, which is more active this winter, has resulted in more infections in Hunan and the whole country, Liu Fuqiang, an official with the Hunan disease control and prevention centre said.

The public are advised to avoid direct contact with poultry and wear masks when symptoms such as headache, fever, coughing and chest congestion appear.

At least 10 people have died from the virus since the start of the year, according to disease control centers in Henan, Guangdong and Hunan provinces.

H7N9 is a bird flu strain first reported to have infected humans in March 2013 in China. It is most likely to strike in winter and spring seasons as said by sources.