A new case of H7N9 bird flu was reported in the city yesterday, the fourth this month in Shanghai.

A 35-year-old man, a native of Ningbo in neighboring Zhejiang Province, was confirmed with the infection on January 4.

The man, surnamed Wu, is receiving treatment at a local hospital, said the Shanghai Health and Family Planning Commission.

It didn't say whether Wu had been in contact with live poultry.

Shanghai's first case this winter, reported on January 4, was an 86-year-old man, surnamed Zhou, who had bought live poultry.

In two cases reported last week, a 58-year-old woman, surnamed Zhang, was confirmed on Friday and a 56-year-old man, surnamed Shi, diagnosed on Saturday.

The commission did not say whether they had been in contact with live poultry.

Experts say exposure to live poultry at markets is a major risk factor and Shanghai's live poultry markets will shut from the end of this month until April 30.

This shutdown could occur for the next five years, authorities said.

The H7N9 virus emerged last year in China and has infected around 150 people on the mainland and in Taiwan and Hong Kong, killing at least 45.

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