The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (February 13) closely monitoring four 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 four patients are three males and one female aged from 51 to 82. Among them, a man aged 82 has passed away while the others are currently hospitalised for treatment and in a critical condition.

To date, 572 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been reported by the Mainland health authorities, respectively in Guangdong (161 cases), Zhejiang (156 cases), Jiangsu (70 cases), Fujian (58 cases), Shanghai (45 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).