2nd confirmed patient discharged

The second confirmed A(H1N1) flu patient in the Chinese mainland was discharged from the Infectious Disease Hospital in Jinan at 9 am Tuesday.

The 19-year-old Chinese student surnamed Lv, who is studying in Canada, was on a vacation home when he was confirmed with having the virus.

During a phone interview with Xinhua news agency, Lu made an apology for going to varies public places after developing flu symptoms, saying he did not know he had the A(H1N1) flu.

The spokesperson of the Health Department of Shandong province said prior to Lv's discharge quarantine for the 38 people, who were exposed to him, was lifted at around 10:30 pm Monday.

On Monday China's Ministry of Health said a man in the southern coastal province of Guangdong, who returned home on May 15 from North America, was suspected of having contracted the A(H1N1) flu. If the diagnosis is confirmed he would become the fourth case of the flu in the Chinese mainland.

Worldwide, dozens of countries urged the World Health Organization on Monday to change its criteria for declaring a pandemic. But no formal changes were made.