Shaanxi reports new H7N9 human case

Northwest China’s Shaanxi Province Wednesday reported a new human infection of the H7N9 bird flu virus, bringing the number of infections to six in the province.

The 62-year-old female from Inner Mongolia showed symptoms including a fever and cough after having contact with dead poultry and was confirmed as infected in the city of Yulin Wednesday.

Also on Wednesday, the local government in the city’s Yuyang District reported more than 20,000 chickens had died from an outbreak of H7N9 bird flu at a private poultry company.

H7N9 is a bird flu strain first reported to have infected humans in China in March 2013.

According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, in March, 96 H7N9 infections and 47 deaths were reported nationwide. In April, 81 infections and 24 deaths were reported.