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BEIJING (AFP) - A Chinese soldier was undergoing treatment Saturday after becoming the nation's latest bird flu victim, the government said.

The 19-year-old People's Liberation Army petty officer was admitted to hospital after he developed a high fever and began coughing 17 days ago, the health ministry said on its website.

The soldier, whose name was not given, has been confirmed as having the H5N1 virus. It is the first human bird flu case in China since a 16-year-old died on March 27 from the disease.

The health ministry said local authorities were monitoring those who had been in close contact with him, but no one else had so far developed symptoms.

China, which has come under criticism for its failure to promptly pass details of the virus to global health authorities, said it had notified the World Health Organisation, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

The report provided no other details.