The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (July 17) received notification of four additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) with onset of symptoms between May 27 and June 18 from the National Health and Family Planning Commission, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

     The patients comprise four males aged from 58 to 77. Three of them have died and one is in a serious condition. Two cases are from Anhui, one is from Zhejiang and one is from Jiangsu.

     From 2013 to date, 657 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been reported by the Mainland health authorities. Regarding the third wave in the Mainland since November 2014, a total of 217 cases have been reported including 72 in Guangdong, 45 in Zhejiang, 41 in Fujian, 22 in Jiangsu, 13 in Anhui, seven in Xinjiang, seven in Shanghai, three in Jiangxi, two in Hunan, two in Shandong, one in Guizhou, one in Hubei and one in Beijing.