CHANGSHA -- The disease control authorities in Central China's Hunan province have confirmed a human infection case of the H5N6 bird flu virus.

The infected person contracted the virus at a live poultry market in Ningyuan County in the city of Yongzhou and tested positive for H5N6 on Saturday, the provincial center for disease control and prevention said on Dec 21.

The patient is being treated in the ICU ward of a hospital in Ningyuan county and has stable conditions, but still cannot be removed from the ventilator.

The live poultry trade in all farmers' markets in Ningyuan County has been suspended since Sunday, and the disinfection work has been completed.

The close contacts of the patient have also been monitored.

H5N6 is a bird flu strain, with most infections caused by exposure to live poultry. So far, no human-to-human transmission of the virus has been reported, according to the disease control authorities.