A 37-year-old farmer in east China's Anhui Province has been confirmed to have
contracted the H5N1 strain of bird flu, the Ministry of Health
announced Wednesday.
The man surnamed Li developed symptoms of fever and pneumonia on
Dec. 10 and was discharged from hospital on Jan. 6 in Tunxi, Anhui
Province, after a full recovery, the ministry said.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
confirmed on Monday that Li tested positive for the deadly H5N1
strain, the ministry said.
It is the first human bird flu case reported on the Chinese
mainland this winter.
The ministry said the Anhui provincial health department
reported the case on Tuesday and it has already reported it to the
World Health Organization.
Relevant information has also been conveyed to the health
agencies of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, the ministry said.
Local health authorities said those who had had close contact
with the patient showed no abnormal symptoms and had been released
from medical observation.
The ministry said no animal bird flu cases were reported in the
area and local authorities are closely monitoring the
situation.
(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2007)