Central China province reports new H7N9 case

Central China's Hunan Province has reported another human H7N9 avian flu case, bringing the total number of infections in the province to 19 this year, including five fatalities.

The male patient, 37, was diagnosed in Changsha City, the province's capital. He had contact with poultry before falling ill and is in a critical condition, according to the Health and Family Planning Commission of Hunan province.

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

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