Hunan limits patient's details

Hunan health authorities confirmed a swine flu case yesterday, bringing the number of known infections on the mainland to 12.

But unlike previous reports, which have revealed patients' family names and travel activities, the Hunan provincial officials withheld most of the patient's personal information.The public was only told that the man, 19, had been studying in New York and took a flight to Beijing on May 21 and to Changsha the day after.

The hospital where he is being treated turned down all media requests to interview him.

But other patients have been less fortunate.

A middle-aged man who was confirmed to be infected following his return from Canada attracted widespread criticism after the Beijing municipal government posted a surveillance-camera video of him on the internet. It also identified him by his family name Zhang. The footage has appeared on nearly every major portal since Monday.

He told the Beijing Times that he had been extremely anxious after the video's release.

'I sincerely apologise. I never thought I could be infected. If there had been any doubt, I would definitely not have taken ... public transport. I wouldn't even have left my house,' he said. ' I am suffering a lot of criticism, and my blood pressure has shot up.'