Hong Kong ( CNN ) -- Hong Kong is on high alert after an Indonesian domestic helper contracted the city 's first human case of H7N9 avian flu , the city 's government says . The 36-year-old maid is in hospital in a critical condition , Ko Wing-man , Hong Kong 's secretary for food and health said in a statement . The woman had recently traveled to Shenzhen , the mainland Chinese city nearest to Hong Kong , where she bought , slaughtered and ate a chicken , Ko added . Her close contacts have also been isolated in hospital . What to know about avian flu . Ko said that Hong Kong had raised its level of preparedness for an influenza pandemic to `` serious . '' Human infections from the H7N9 strain of bird flu first emerged in Shanghai in March this year and within weeks more than 100 cases were confirmed , according to the World Health Organization . Study finds evidence of first human-to-human transmission of H7N9 bird flu . However , the number of cases dropped dramatically after the closing of live poultry markets in affected areas , the WHO said . So far , there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission , it added . As of November 6 , the WHO said it had been informed of a total of 139 laboratory-confirmed human cases of the H7N9 virus , including 45 deaths . From ducks to chickens to deadly virus . Ko said Hong Kong said it had suspended the import of live chickens from three farms in Shenzhen and would inspect Hong Kong chicken farms and poultry wholesale markets . Hong Kong takes the threat of new disease extremely seriously after Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS first emerged in the city in 2003 . The outbreak went on to infect 8,096 people and kill 744 worldwide . On Monday , Shanghai said it will suspend live poultry trading from January 31 until April 30 to prevent a recurrence of this year 's bird flu outbreak , according to state-run news agency Xinhua . CDC director : A disease outbreak anywhere is a risk everywhere .
Indonesian domestic birds in critical condition after suffering Hong Kong 's first human case of H7N9 avian flu . The couple had recently travelled to mainland China and slaughtered a live bird . Hong Kong had raised its level of preparedness for an influenza pandemic to ` ` serious '' Human infections from the H7N9 strain of bird flu first emerged in China in March this year .