HOHHOT, April 6 (Xinhua) -- North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Saturday said a human infection case of the H7N9 bird flu virus has been confirmed.

The patient, a 82-year-old man from Ejina Banner (County) in Alashan League (Prefecture), is receiving treatment in neighboring Gansu Province, said the government of Ejina Banner.

The government has initiated an emergency response and disinfected the patient's residence and its proximity. It said those who had close contact with him showed no abnormalities.

H7N9 is a bird flu strain first reported to have infected humans in China in March 2013. Infections are most likely to occur in winter and spring, and most human cases are caused by exposure to live poultry or contaminated environment.