China H7N9 bird flu cases jump to 104, 21 deaths

Another two new H7N9 bird flu infections were confirmed in China as of 4 pm on Monday, bringing the total cases to 104, including 21 deaths.

Both cases occurred in east China's Zhejiang Province, bringing a total of 40 cases, including 5 deaths in the province, the National Health and Family Planning Commission announced in a daily report here, Monday.

A total of 70 H7N9 infected patients were still warded in designated hospitals while 13 patients have been discharged from hospitals, it said.

To date, 33 cases, including 12 deaths were reported in Shanghai, 24 cases, including three deaths in Jiangsu Province, and three cases, including one death in Anhui Province.

Beijing confirmed its first H7N9 infection in the middle of the month while three cases were reported in Henan Province.

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

However, the exact source of infection remains unknown, and researchers are currently developing vaccine against the new strain of avian influenza.