H7N9 birdflu kills one more in China, toll reaches 44

A Chinese man infected with the deadly H7N9 avian influenza died of multiple organ failure today, taking the number of deaths due to the new type of bird flu to 44 in the country.
The 61-year-old victim was transferred from the city of Langfan in north China's Hebei Province to Beijing Chaoyang Hospital for treatment on July 18.
He was tested positive for H7N9 virus on July 20.
A single human infection of H7N9 was confirmed in south China's Guangdong Province on Friday, bringing the total number of infected cases in China to 134 this year.
Forty-four of the infected patients have died.

Authorities halted their emergency response to the H7N9 outbreak in late May.

However, a spokesman for the National Health and Family Planning Commission said officials have been monitoring the situation and are preparing for possible outbreaks in the coming fall and winter, state run Xinhua news agency reported.
Earlier this month, researchers in east China's Jiangsu Province said the H7N9 virus may be capable of human-to-human transmission.
However, they added that such transmissions are limited and non-sustainable.