China's eighth bird flu patient is out of danger and in good recovery in central China's Hunan Province, said doctors of a local hospital on Wednesday.

The six-year-old boy, surnamed Ouyang, who had been confirmed on January 9 as China's eighth human case of H5N1 bird flu, suffered serious damages to both lungs at the beginning.

"The boy is now going on well. He has gained more than one kilogram of weight since he was in hospital and his lung shadows have also been reduced," said Zhu Yimin, president of Hunan Provincial Children's Hospital, where Ouyang is receiving medical treatment.

Ouyang had showed fever and pneumonia symptoms on December 24. He was transferred to the provincial-level hospital on Jan. 11 and has since been under round-the-clock monitoring.

"We are still on alert, however, as the boy may have other syndrome during the treatment," said Zhu.

(Xihua News Agency January 19, 2006)