Vaccine development progresses as China reports more H7N9 cases

SHANGHAI (Xinhua) - China reported more human cases of H7N9 on Saturday after researchers in Shanghai announced preliminary success in developing a vaccine.

The health authority in east China's Zhejiang Province confirmed a human case of H7N9 bird flu, bringing the number of human cases in the province to 74 so far this year.

The patient is a 61-year-old man from Xiaoshan District of Hangzhou, capital city of Zhejiang. He is in critical condition.

East China's Jiangsu Province on Saturday reported a human infection in a 53-year-old man and one death. The number of H7N9 human cases so far in the province in 2014 is 12.

Health authorities in central China's Hunan Province on Saturday evening reported one newly confirmed H7N9 human case involving a 38-year-old man, who was receiving medical treatment in Shaoyang City.

To date, Hunan has reported seven H7N9 cases, including two deaths, one discharged patient and four patients still in the hospital.

South China's Guangdong Province on Saturday confirmed three new H7N9 cases, with two men in stable condition and one woman in critical condition.

So far, Guangdong has reported a total of 58 human cases of H7N9 infections, including 12 death, 16 discharged patients and 30 patients in hospital.

Guangdong has entered a phase of multiple and sporadic cases of the H7N9 infections. Though the virus has expanded into more regions, the chances of H7N9 becoming pandemic are slim, according to the expert evaluation result released by the health authority of Guangdong.

China has so far reported more than 120 human H7N9 cases this year, including over 25 deaths, with Zhejiang and Guangdong being most affected.

Officials with the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center told Xinhua that their genetically engineered vaccine had passed preliminary animal tests in laboratory mice.

Xu Jianqing, a professor with the center, said the vaccine would have to go through a clinical test to prove its effectiveness in protecting humans before being put into use.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission on Wednesday reaffirmed that no proof has been found that the H7N9 virus is spreading from human to human, adding that most human H7N9 infection cases have been isolated.