China reports 5 new H7N9 cases

Four new human cases of H7N9 bird flu have been reported in east China's Zhejiang province so far this week, the provincial health authorities said on Tuesday.

The newly reported cases include a 41-year-old woman surnamed Wen and a 59-year-old woman surnamed Zhao, who are both seriously ill and receiving treatment in Ningbo city. The other two patients are a 29-year-old man surnamed Lin and a 58-year-old man surnamed Gu, both being treated in Hangzhou, capital city of Zhejiang.

The news brings the total number of cases reported in Zhejiang Province to 11 in 2014.

In the neighboring province of Fujian, one new human case of H7N9 bird flu was reported on Tuesday.

The patient, a 50-year-old man surnamed Lin from Jinzhou City, is in a critical condition. He is receiving treatment in a hospital in Quanzhou City.

So far this year, human cases of H7N9 virus have also been reported in the provinces of Jiangsu and Guangdong as well as in Shanghai. A suspected case was also reported in southwest China's Guizhou Province on Monday.