Mainland unchanged as Taiwan reports H7N9 case

BEIJING - The Chinese mainland reported no new H7N9 cases while Taiwan confirmed its first during the 24-hour period ending at 4 pm on Wednesday.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission said in its daily update that the total number of H7N9 cases reported in the mainland stood at 108. However, one more patient died in Jiangsu Province, putting the total deaths at 23.

Of the total, 14 H7N9 patients have been discharged from hospitals after receiving treatment, according to the commission.

A total of 33 cases, including 12 that have ended in death, have been reported in Shanghai. Twenty-four cases, including four deaths, have been reported in Jiangsu province, and 42 cases, including six deaths, in Zhejiang province. Anhui Province has reported four cases, with one ending in death. Beijing has reported one case and three have been reported in Henan Province, with one in Shandong.

Taiwan health authorities confirmed the island's first human infection of H7N9 avian flu on Wednesday, involving a 53-year-old Taiwan man who is believed to have been infected outside Taiwan as he showed symptoms three days after returning from Suzhou city in Jiangsu province.

The patient, who is Hepatitis-B-positive and suffers from high blood pressure, is in a serious condition, the authorities said.

China officially confirmed the human cases infected with the H7N9 virus late last month.

According to the commission, China's confirmed H7N9 cases are isolated and there has been no sign of human-to-human transmission.

As of Wednesday, information on the H7N9 cases in China will be publicized on a weekly basis, said the commission.