The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (June 12) received notification of 12 additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) with onset of symptoms between April 24 and May 22 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 six men and six women aged from 4 to 77, three of whom (one man and two women) have died. Four cases are from Zhejiang, three are from Jiangsu, three are from Anhui, one is from Fujian and one is from Beijing.

From 2013 to date, 653 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 213 cases have been reported including 72 in Guangdong, 44 in Zhejiang, 41 in Fujian, 21 in Jiangsu, 11 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.