One more H7N9 virus death in Shanghai

Three new cases of H7N9 avian influenza were reported in eastern China, one of them fatal, state media reported late on Monday afternoon, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to seven.

Shanghai authorities confirmed that a 64-year-old retiree was killed by the H7N9 virus, bringing the total number of infection-related deaths in the city to five. 

The government said the man died Sunday night, a week after first experiencing chills. He sought medical treatment last Wednesday for pneumonia-like conditions. By Sunday morning, his condition worsened, he was out of breath and was admitted to a ward for in-patient treatment. He died hours later and was diagnosed with H7N9 posthumously.

In addition to the death in Shanghai, two new cases of H7N9 virus infection were reported in Jiangsu province; an 85-year-old male retiree and a 25-year-old unemployed female.

The one new death in Shanghai and two new cases in Jiangsu bring the total number of H7N9 human infection cases in eastern China to 24. 

In Hong Kong, seven new suspected cases of bird flu were undergoing tests for confirmation. Two earlier suspected cases tested negative for the virus which had previously not been known to infect humans.