H7N9 patient dies in Beijing

BEIJING - A man infected with the H7N9 avian influenza died of multiple organ failure on Monday, local authorities said.

The 61-year-old patient was transferred from the city of Langfan in north China's Hebei Province to Beijing Chaoyang Hospital for treatment on July 18. He tested positive for the H7N9 virus on July 20.

A single human infection of H7N9 was confirmed in south China's Guangdong Province on Friday, bringing the total number of infections on the Chinese mainland to 134 this year. Forty-four of the infections have resulted in death.

Authorities halted their emergency response to the H7N9 outbreak in late May. However, a spokesman for the National Health and Family Planning Commission said authorities have been monitoring the situation and are preparing for possible outbreaks in the coming fall and winter.

Earlier this month, researchers in east China's Jiangsu Province said the H7N9 virus may be capable of human-to-human transmission. However, they added that such transmissions are limited and non-sustainable.