A farmer in east China's Fujian Province has been infected with the H5N1 form of bird flu, the first human case in about about seven weeks.

The 44-year-old woman surnamed Li from Jianou city is now receiving treatment at local hospital and is in severe condition. She was confirmed to have made contact with dead fowls.

Local health authorities said they are closely monitoring those who had had close contact with the patient. So far, they showed no symptoms of the disease.

"Tests by the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention on the patient have confirmed that the patient has been infected with the bird flu virus strain H5N1," a Xinhua reprot said.
 
China's last confirmed human case was reported in January. The farmer, from eastern Anhui province, recovered.

China has now reported a total of 23 human cases of bird flu, including 14 deaths, since 2003 and, with the largest poultry population and millions of backyard birds roaming free, it is seen as central to the fight against the virus.

Fujian Province has taken a series of measures to prevent an outbreak of bird flu after it confirmed the human case of the disease, an official with the provincial government said Thursday.

Zhang Changpin, vice governor of the Fujian province, has ordered compulsory inoculation on all fowls, and required local authorities to set up inoculation files and issue certificates to inoculated animals.
Zhang required the health, stock-raising and forestry authorities at all levels to be on high alert and closely monitor it.

He also asked local workers to quarantine and check the animals at every stage when they leave farm, enter slaughter houses and are put in the market. Those who failed should be punished accordingly. 
 
According to Fujian health authorities, China's Health Ministry has conveyed the information to WHO, health agencies in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and some other countries.