Local health officials said the man died Sunday after developing fever, chills and other bird flu symptoms. He was admitted Nov. 27 to a hospital, where his condition deteriorated resulting in his death, the report said.

The victim's respiratory tract sample showed positive signs of H5N1, the generic make-up of the virus. Health officials were quoted as saying the man had not had any contact with infected or deceased fowl.

Xinhua said the local government has put all the 69 people with whom the victim came into contact under strict medical observation and thus far none of them has shown any signs of the disease.

China's health ministry has reported the case to the World Health Organization as well as to Hong Kong, Macao and some foreign governments, the report said.

China has reported 26 human cases of bird flu since 2003, 17 of them fatal, the report said.