China's Guangdong reports two H7N9 cases, one recovers

Guangdong Province in south China on Sunday reported two patients infected with H7N9 bird flu, one of whom has recovered.

Among the two confirmed cases is a 66-year-old man surnamed Chen, a resident of Shenzhen City, which borders Hong Kong. He is in a hospital in critical condition, the provincial health and family planning commission said in a statement.

Another, a one-year-old girl surnamed Huang from Shanwei City, has recovered after medical treatment. She tested positive for H7N9 on Friday, the statement said.

A series of human infection reports has led to the culling of thousands of chickens in Guangdong and Hong Kong since the start of this year. Most bird flu cases in humans come from exposure to infected poultry.

Food safety authorities in Guangdong said Sunday that they would expand restrictions on live poultry sales that so far apply to some parts of the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Foshan.