Three new bird flu cases in China

Beijing, April 25 (IANS) Three new bird flu cases were confirmed in east China Thursday, authorities said.

A 60-year-old woman surnamed Wang and a 50-year-old woman surnamed Yu in the country's Zhejiang province tested positive for the new strain of bird flu virus Thursday, Xinhua quoted provincial health authorities as saying.

Both were in critical condition and being treated at the hospital.

A man surnamed Cui was confirmed to be infected with H7N9 bird flu in Henan province, local health authorities said.

Meanwhile, seven people, having had close contact with the 56-year-old patient, have been placed under medical observation. But, so far, they have not shown any abnormal symptoms.

The total number of H7N9 cases reported in the Chinese mainland stood at 108, including 23 cases that have ended in death, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said Wednesday.

Most of the cases have been reported in Shanghai Municipality and the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui.