BEIJING, May 9 -- A human H5N6 virus infection that was reported on Tuesday and resulted in the death of the patient was an individual case, a National Health and Family Planning Commission spokeswoman said on Friday.

Speaking at a press conference, Song Shuxin said people who had close contact with the patient have shown no symptoms, and health experts found that the risk of human infection is low.

Song said people should maintain good personal hygiene habits and not contact ill or dead poultry to prevent and control respiratory infectious diseases.

The case is believed to be the world's first human H5N6 infection. The virus had previously been isolated to waterfowls and wild ducks, said Ni Daxin, a Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention official, citing reports of Germany, Sweden and the United States as well as Taiwan.

The H5N6 patient was a 49-year-old man from Nanbu County of Nanchong City in southwest China's Sichuan Province. He died in hospital.