The China National Health and Family Planning Commission announced today an additional 11 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9). The details of the cases are as follows:

Influenza A (H7N9) virus/CDC
Influenza A (H7N9) virus/CDC

1. A man aged 64 in Wuhu, Anhui, who had poultry exposure and died;
2. A man aged 86 in Zhangzhou, Fujian, who had poultry exposure and is in serious condition;
3. A female farmer aged 60 in Yancheng, Jiangsu, who had poultry exposure and is in serious condition;
4. A man aged 84 in Wuhu, Anhui, who had poultry exposure and is in serious condition;
5. A woman aged 85 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, who shared the same hospital ward with two previously confirmed cases and died;
6. A male farmer aged 67 in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, who had poultry exposure and is in serious condition;
7. A female farmer aged 58 in Longyan, Fujian, who had poultry exposure and is in serious condition;
8. A man aged 63 in Nantong, Jiangsu, who had poultry exposure and is in serious condition;
9. A man aged 53 in Suzhou, Jiangsu, who had poultry exposure and died;
10. A man aged 26 in Jianou, Fujian, who had poultry exposure and is in serious condition; and
11. A male farmer aged 80 in Huai’an, Jiangsu, who had poultry exposure and is in serious condition.

From 2013 to date, 758 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been reported by the Mainland health authorities.

In addition, 23 cases imported from China have been reported in Canada (2), Hong Kong (16), Malaysia (1) and Taiwan (4).

Avian influenza (AI) is caused by those influenza viruses that mainly affect birds and poultry, such as chickens or ducks. These AI viruses are distinct from human seasonal influenza viruses. Since the AI viruses does not commonly infect human, there is little or no immune protection against them in the human population. People mainly become infected with AI through direct contact with infected birds and poultry (live or dead), their droppings or contaminated environments.

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