Chinese health authorities have registered two more cases of H7N9 avian influenza virus infection in the country's central Sichuan province, local media reported Tuesday.

     A 60-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman were found to have been infected with the virus. Both the patients were in critical condition, the Chinese Xinhua news agency reported.

    In January, China's National Health and Family Planning Commission called for extra efforts to control and prevent the spread of the avian flu virus amid high season in winter and spring. According to the government agency, more than 20 people have already died from the disease across the Asian country since the beginning of December 2016.

Source: QNA