China H7N9 bird flu outbreak update: 24 confirmed cases, seven deaths

Chinese health authorities have notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of three additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with influenza A(H7N9) virus, according to a WHO Global Alert and Response April 9.

Image/CIA

According to the update, the latest laboratory-confirmed cases include two patients from Jiangsu – an 85 -year-old man who became ill on 28 March 2013 and a 25-year-old pregnant woman who became ill on 30 March 2013. Both are in severe condition. The third patient is a 64-year-old man from Shanghai who became ill on 1 April 2013, and died on 7 April 2013.

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This brings the total of confirmed cases to 24, including seven fatalities.

More than 600 close contacts of the confirmed cases are being closely monitored and at this time, the WHO says there is no evidence of ongoing human-to-human transmission.

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