Four more die of bird flu in China, pushing toll to 31
The number to have been infected on the mainland since outbreak began in February rose to 129, with two more cases identified in Fujian.
The H7N9 bird flu killed four more people over the weekend, pushing the official death toll to 31.
The number to have been infected on the mainland since outbreak began in February rose to 129, with two more cases identified in Fujian.
The head of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)said the virus, in its current form, could not start a pandemic but there was no guarantee it would not mutate.
Of the four new deaths, two were in Jiangsu, one was in Zhejiang and the other was in Anhui.
Health authorities in those provinces failed to provide details about the deaths, opting instead to highlight information about bird flu patients discharged from hospitals.
The latest cases in Fujian were announced on Monday, when officials said a retrospective analysis determined that a nineyear-old boy had contracted the virus, and an elderly man was diagnosed on Saturday. The child, from Cangshan district, Fuzhou , showed symptoms on April 26. He was admitted to hospital the next day and discharged after three days. The other case involved a 69-year-old in Sanshan township, Fuqing. Five people have been diagnosed with H7N9 in Fujian.
