China confirms 77 H7N9 cases, 16 deaths

BEIJING - During the period from 6 pm on Monday to 8 pm Tuesday, China confirmed 14 new cases of H7N9 avian influenza, with two more death reported in Shanghai.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission said in its daily update on H7N9 cases that a total of 77 H7N9 cases have been reported in China, including 16 cases that have ended in death.

A total of 30 cases, including 11 ending in death, have been reported in Shanghai. Twenty cases, including two deaths, have been reported in Jiangsu Province, and 21 cases, including two deaths, in Zhejiang province. Anhui province has reported three cases, with one death. Beijing has reported one case and two have been reported in Henan Province.

China officially confirmed the occurrence of humans infected with the H7N9 virus late last month.

Those who have had close contact with people infected by H7N9 have been placed under medical observation and have exhibited no abnormal symptoms, the commission said.

According to the commission, China's confirmed H7N9 cases are isolated and there has been no sign of human-to-human transmission.

According to a joint inspection group composed of the commission and the World Health Organization, humans contracted the virus from infected fowl or the contaminated environment. The H7N9 cases may keep increasing until the pollution sources are under effective control.