Xiamen, Fujian province, has confirmed two cases of H7N9. They were sent to hospital on Dec 29 and 30, 2014.

The two patients, a man and a woman, are both retired and were infected after buying live poultry. They are now in a positive rehabilitation state.

Xiamen is increasing its sampling inspection for live poultry from once to twice a month, and the monitoring covers live poultry trading centers, poultry slaughter houses, wild poultry habitats and swine slaughter houses. Xiamen had not found any live poultry infected with the H7N9 bacterium until Jan 6.

Most poultry markets in Xiamen are still operational now. Experts advise people to avoid touching live poultry.

By Zhai Song and edited by Brian Salter