November 11, 2013

China National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) has confirmed an additional human case of H7N9 in Zhejiang province.

The patient, a 64-year-old woman, fell ill on October 30 and is currently receiving treatment in critical condition.

The case is an addition to the three cases reported in the past one month. In October, a 35-year-old man and a 67-year-old farmer in Zhejiang were diagnosed with H7N9 infection; while on November 5, a 3-year-old boy in Guangdong was confirmed to be affected by the virus.

The reports have raised concerns that bird flu may emerge again in winter. However, the impact of the new cases on the Chinese poultry industry remains to be seen. 

To date, a total of 138 human cases of H7N9 have been confirmed in China.