The Health Bureau of Shenzhen City in south China's Guangdong Province on Tuesday reported a suspected case of human infection of bird flu.

The 31-year-old man surnamed Jiang started to show symptoms of painful back, fever and cough on June 3. He was admitted to the Shenzhen People's Hospital on June 9. The patient is now in critical condition.

The Shenzhen Center of Diseases Control has tested samples of the patient to be positive of H5N1 virus nucleic acid. The Guangdong provincial health bureau has reported the case to the Ministry of Health for verification.

The patient was transferred to Donghu Hospital in the city on Tuesday for advanced treatment. His body temperature was measured at 40 degrees Celsius on Monday.

Secretary of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China Li Hongzhong on Tuesday announced a second-degree emergency precaution scheme against bird flu in the city.

Medical staff are disinfecting all possible contaminated places in the city.

Jiang, a cargo truck driver, had no contacts with birds before the disease. However, his wife bought a live-slaughtered chicken from a local market two weeks ago, and cooked it for dinner for five family members, including Jiang.

None of the rest of Jiang's family showed similar symptoms. They and other close contacts are under medical observation.

The man would become China's 19th reported human case if he is confirmed as having the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu.

Source: Xinhua