2 human H7N9 cases reported in October

BEIJING - Two new human H7N9 avian flu cases were reported on the Chinese mainland in October, according to an update released Monday by China's health authority.

Two men, a 35-year-old from Shaoxing and a 67-year-old from Jiaxing, both cities in East China's Zhejiang province, were confirmed as having the disease last month, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said in the report.

China had reported 136 total cases by the end of October, with 45 fatalities.

Of the total, 87 H7N9 patients have been discharged from hospitals after receiving treatment, according to the commission.

The H7N9 infections cover 42 cities in 12 provincial regions, the commission said.