5 June 2012 - The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, Hong Kong, China, has reported a human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection.? The case is a 2 year-old male from Guangzhou City, Guangdong province. He developed symptoms on 23 May 2012 in Guangdong province and went to a private clinic in Hong Kong, China, on 26 May 2012. He developed febrile convulsion and was transferred to a hospital on 28 May 2012 and was laboratory confirmed as A(H5N1) on 2 June 2012. His condition remains serious and he remains hospitalized.

The mother brought the case to visit a wet market with live poultry in Guangzhou in mid-May 2012 and a live duck was bought and slaughtered in the market. Close contacts of the case have tested negative for the virus.? Evidence so far indicates that this is a sporadic case of human infection with A(H5N1) virus, with no secondary spread or clustering.

So far, a total of 22 human cases of influenza A(H5N1) infection were reported in Hong Kong, China, including 18 cases in 1997, two cases in 2003, one case in 2010, and the current case in 2012.