Southwest China province reports 3 H7N9 cases

CHENGDU, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Three more human infections of H7N9 bird flu were reported in southwest China's Sichuan Province, including one fatality, bringing the number of infections to 11 and fatalities to six in the province this year.

Two of the infected people are in critical condition, and the third, a 64-year-old man surnamed Yi, from Kaijiang county, died in hospital.

One of the patients is a 65-year-old woman surnamed He from Wusheng county, while the other is a 45-year-old man surnamed Han from Nanchong city.

No one who had close contact with the patients has shown signs of infection.

H7N9 is a bird flu strain first reported to have infected humans in China in March 2013. Infections are most likely occur in winter and spring.