CHANGSHA, Jan. 10 (Xinhuanet) -- The condition of China's eighth bird flu patient turned critical Tuesday, and doctors are going all out to save the six-year-old boy's life.

    The boy, surnamed Ouyang, a native of central-south China's Hunan Province, began to suffer serious damage to both lungs as of Tuesday, said Zhu Yimin, president with the Hunan Provincial Children's Hospital, where Ouyang is receiving medical treatment.

    The Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed Monday that the boy was China's eighth human case of H5N1 bird flu but his condition was stable in hospital.

    Ouyang had showed fever and pneumonia symptoms on Dec. 24. He was removed to the provincial-level hospital early Monday and is under strict monitoring.

    Five MOH experts made a joint examination on the boy's situation Tuesday. A total of 152 persons who had close contact with the patient are under strict medical observation, but no abnormal clinical symptoms have been found among them so far.

    The hospital is mulling over arranging a live broadcast via the internet to show the boy's life and how doctors treated his disease, according to Zhu.

    He explained that as people kept calling in to show their deep concern about the boy, the hospital plans to launch the live broadcast soon to tell the general public about Ouyang's life in the hospital in an effort to maintain a normal environment for his recovery. Enditem