Chinese reports 4th confirmed case of A/H1N1 influenza

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GUANGZHOU, May 19 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Health Tuesday confirmed that a man in southern Guangdong Province, who returned last week from a tour of the United States and Canada, tested positive for A/H1N1 influenza.

The man, surnamed Yang, became the fourth confirmed A/H1N1 casein the Chinese mainland in less than 10 days.

His temperature had returned to a normal level of 36.6 degrees Celsius as of Monday and his symptoms of a sore throat and cough had abated, Yin Zhibiao, vice president with the No. 8 People's Hospital where Yang has been treated since Friday, told a press conference.

Yang can communicate through video and audio facilities in his ward.

Yin said doctors were considering using traditional Chinese medicine to treat the flu, based on experience in the national campaign against SARS, but more research was needed.

Yang flew into Hong Kong via the Republic of Korea on Wednesday, then took a train to Guangdong on Friday.

A total of 75 out of the 93 people exposed to Yang on train T810 had been contacted by health departments and were put under quarantine.

The Provincial Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau is tracing the remaining 18 people, including nine citizens of Australia and Canada, eight from the Chinese mainland and another from Hong Kong.

The bureau urged them to report to local health authorities as soon as possible.

The Ministry of Health also said on Tuesday that a 42-year-old Italian woman was suspected of having the A/H1N1 flu virus and was being treated at a hospital in southwest Tibet Autonomous Region.

She arrived in Tibet Monday with a group for an eight-day tour.