The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (February 6) closely monitoring five additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) notified by the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province (GDHFPC), and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

     According to the GDHFPC, the five patients involve three males and two females aged between 2 and 76. Among them, a woman aged 62 has passed away while the others are currently hospitalised for treatment.

     To date, 561 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been reported by the Mainland health authorities, respectively in Zhejiang (156 cases), Guangdong (151 cases), Jiangsu (70 cases), Fujian (58 cases), Shanghai (44 cases), Hunan (24 cases), Anhui (17 cases), Xinjiang (10 cases), Jiangxi (nine cases), Shandong (six cases), Beijing (five cases), Henan (four cases), Guangxi (three cases), Jilin (two cases), Guizhou (one case) and Hebei (one case).