18 H7N9 bird flu cases in China

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Now the latest on the deadly new strain of bird flu that hadn't been seen in humans until about ten days ago.

Two more people were confirmed infected with the H7N9 bird flu in Shanghai.

By Saturday, China confirmed 18 H7N9 cases, killing six people...

But authorities have also now approved a new drug, that appears effective in treating the virus.

PKG

According to Shanghai's health authority, the two male patients, aged 66 and 74 years respectively, developed flu-like symptoms late last month.

They were first diagnosed with pneumonia, and then confirmed infected with the deadly H7N9 bird flu.

11 people who had close contact with the two haven't shown flu symptoms.

To stem the spread of the virus, three of the biggest cities in east China - Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing - suspended live poultry trading, earlier this week.

In Hangzhou, the suspension came on Saturday, a day after the H7N9 bird flu virus was found in some of the quails sold there.

The second confirmed H7N9 case in the province, had been found to have eaten quails bought from an agricultural and sideline products market in Hangzhou.

The sample was later sent to national disease control and prevention center for analysis... As scientists race to understand and cure the new virus that shows no symptoms in birds... but kills humans.

Also on Saturday, Nanjing temporarily shut down its poultry markets.

The local government said it's set up a team to lead H7N9 bird flu virus prevention and control in the city.

SOUNDBITE: WANG ZHIXI, Nanjing Industrial and Commercial Bureau

"We have banned sales of live poultry at the three main poultry trade markets - Zijinshan, Tianyinshan and Jianye - which account for 90 percent of all poultry sales in Nanjing. We'll also ban live poultry from other places from entering the city, as well as stop transporting birds out of Nanjing."

The 11 administrative districts in the city are now required to report their situation every day.

As more flu cases were discovered, China approved a new type of drug that it believes may be able to treat H7N9.

According to a statement issued by the China Food and Drug Administration on Saturday, the potential of injections of peramivir diluted in sodium chloride, has been proven by early tests...

Offering hope that those now infected, can be saved.

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The National Health and Family Planning Commission said on Saturday that the country's H7N9 cases were isolated and there has been no sign of human-to-human transmission.