China reports 3rd H7N9 case in Nov

HANGZHOU - A new human H7N9 bird flu case was reported in East China's Zhejiang province, the fifth in China this autumn, according to local health authorities on Thursday.

The patient surnamed Zhang, 57, from Anji county tested positive for the H7N9 virus on Wednesday when he went to the First Affiliated Hospital of College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, for treatment for a fever, said the Zhejiang Provincial Health Department.

He then suffered respiratory failure and shock and is still in critical condition, said the hospital.

This is the third case reported in November, following the one confirmed on November 4 in Zhejiang and one on November 5 in southern Guangdong Province

In October, two new human H7N9 avian flu cases were reported. No new cases were reported in September.

China had reported 134 cases by the end of August, with 45 fatalities, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission.