A new case of H7N9 bird flu was confirmed in Shandong province, according to the provincial health bureau, Xinhua News Agency reported Monday, bringing the total number of cases to 105 in China.

A 36-year-old man in the eastern Chinese province was suspected of being infected with the H7N9 virus, the first case found in the province.

Nine people who were in close contact with the patient are being kept under medical observation, but have so far shown no bird flu symptoms.

The patient, who lives in the inland city of Zaozhuang, did not have contact with live poultry but he was running a construction materials wholesale store at an open market, just 100 meters from a live poultry stall.

A sample of the man's blood has been sent to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation.

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