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China reports fresh H7N9 bird flu cases

TOKYO, Feb 17 (KUNA) -- Two more people were confirmed to be infected with H7N9 bird flu in China, health authorities said Monday, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
There have been more than 120 human H7N9 cases reported in China so far this year and at least 32 deaths, the latest official tally of the country's health and family planning commission showed.
The share of H7N9 patients with live poultry raised at home is on the rise as health authorities have found the rate of family-raised poultry, especially chicken, being tested positive for the virus stands between 30 and 50 percent in areas inhabited by H7N9 patients, Xinhua reported on February 11.
"Family-raised poultry is likely to rise as another source transmitting the virus to humans after live poultry markets," Li Lanjuan, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, was quoted as saying. (end) mk.bs KUNA 172008 Feb 14NNNN