An elderly man was confirmed to have been infected with the H7N9 bird flu virus on Wednesday, the Hunan Provincial Health Department said.

Surnamed Tan, the 78-year-old lives in Xinning County of Shaoyang City in central China's Hunan Province. He is receiving medical treatment in the provincial capital of Changsha.

The latest infection has brought the total number in province to 17.

China has reported more than 120 human H7N9 cases this year, including at least 36 deaths.