China says bird flu patient recovers, goes home

BEIJING, May 29 (Reuters) A farmer who contracted bird flu in southeastern China has recovered after a three-month stay in hospital and has gone home, the official Xinhua news agency said TOday.

''After three months' treatment, Li Yinxiu recovered and left hospital at 8:25 today,'' it said in a brief report.

Li, from Jianou in southeastern Fujian province, was confirmed to have been infected with the H5N1 form of the virus in March, and was China's first human case in about seven weeks.

Over the weekend, Beijing confirmed another case, a 19-year-old soldier surnamed Cheng, who is receiving treatment at a military hospital.

China has reported 25 human cases of bird flu since 2003, and 15 deaths.

The country has millions of backyard birds and a strained rural medical system that is seen as key in the fight against bird flu.

Reuters AGL DB0925