A fatal case of H5N1 bird flu has been reported in Canada, the first such case in North America.

Officials said symptoms first appeared when a Canadian felt ill on a flight to Canada from Beijing on 27 December. A Canadian health official says the case is isolated and there is no evidence of sustained human to human transmission.

However, he warns the illness kills about 60 percent of those who are infected. Officials also say this is the first case of H5N1 contracted in Beijing and China is investigating. They also say the victim was only in Beijing and had not visited a farm or farmer’s market.