H7N9 death toll rises to 18

Another death from H7N9 bird flu was announced in China on Saturday, bringing the nationwide death toll to 18.The Department of Health of east China's Zhejiang Province reported that a 69-year-old man surnamed Xu, who had previously tested positive for the H7N9 virus, died on Friday night after emergency treatment failed.The province also reported three new infection cases.A 56-year-old man surnamed Wang, a 35-year-old woman surnamed Gan, and a 37-year-old man surnamed Sun all tested positive for H7N9 and are being treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of the College of Medicine, Zhejiang University in Hangzhou. All three are in critical condition.A man surnamed Zhang also tested positive for the new strain of bird flu in neighboring Jiangsu Province, according to a statement issued by the provincial health department on Saturday. Of the 23 people who had been in close contact with the 43-year-old man, none have exhibited any abnormal symptoms.A total of 95 H7N9 cases have been reported across China.