Bird flu spreads fast in China, 11 new H7N9 cases reported

Eleven new cases of human H7N9 infection were reported today in China as the deadly virus spreads fast despite health authorities ruling out human-to- human transmission.
With the new infections, the number human H7N9 cases has risen to 126 this year, including over 25 deaths.
Four cases, including a five-year-old girl, were reported from the southern province of Guangdong. Two patients are in a critical condition, health officials said.
The eastern province of Zhejiang, the region hit hardest by the H7N9 virus, confirmed four human cases. The patients - including two women - are in a critical condition.
Two new cases - a 41-year-old woman and her five year-old son - were reported in Hengxian County in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The woman is in a critical condition.

A 36-year-old man in Quanzhou City of east China's Fujian Province was confirmed to be infected with the deadly virus. His condition is critical, according to the provincial health and family planning commission.

Chinese health authorities today reaffirmed that no proof has been found of the H7N9 virus spreading from human to human. Most human cases of H7N9 infection have been isolated so far, said a statement from the National Health and Family Planning Commission.
During Spring Festival holidays, expert teams dispatched by the commission have been supervising local hospitals in Beijing, Shanghai Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong in diagnosing and treating H7N9 patients, it said.

Health departments and hospitals in provinces with higher incidence of H7N9 are working hard to identify H7N9 cases as early as possible, it said.
The health authorities will strive to prevent cases of severe infection and reduce casualties, said state-run Xinhua news agency, citing a statement of the Commission.