MOSCOW, January 17 (Sputnik) — Two patients infected with a strain of H7N9 avian flu have died in China's southeastern Fujian Province, Xinhua reports.
Fifteen cases of the virus have been reported since the beginning of the year, according to the provincial Health and Family Planning Commission. Another human infection was also reported in neighboring Jiangxi Province on Friday. The Shanghai Municipality, Zhejiang Province and Guangdong Province have also reported infections and deaths from the virus this winter season, the first cases of 2015 were reported on January 5.
Official Chinese figures have reported a total of 469 cases of the H7N9 virus since March 2013, when the virus was first found to affect humans. The virus is reported to have claimed 170 lives so far. Infections tend to be at their most severe during the winter months, Reuters explained. The World Health Organization believes that there is not yet enough evidence to conclude that the virus, which passes between birds, also passes between humans.
