Officials with Jiangxi Provincial Health and Family Planning announced (computer translated) late last week the death of a man residing in Guangdong Province who tested positive for H5N6 avian influenza (AI).

The case was detected during routine monitoring and surveillance of influenza and severe pneumonia. H5N6 AI was confirmed by nucleic acid testing.

The patient was a 42-year-male currently residing in Jieyang City, Guangdong Province, who had a history of contact and exposure with live poultry in the business market. He died on December 21 at a hospital in Ganzhou.

All close contacts were monitored and determined not to be infected. This is considered to be a sporadic case and experts see the risk of spread as low.

This report would make the eighth human case of H5N6 avian influenza since the first case was reported in May 2014 and the 4th in recent weeks.

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