The centre said the patient was a 39-year-old man who developed symptoms on January 6 and was admitted to hospital the same day.

The man did not report having been in contact with poultry before the onset of symptoms.

Last month, a 39-year-old man in Shenzhen died after being diagnosed with bird flu.

The authorities there said at the time that he hadn't had any direct contact with poultry during the previous month.

But a specialist in infectious diseases, Doctor Lo Wing-lok, said poultry should still be suspected as the probable source of infection.