HEFEI - Health authorities in east China's Anhui Province on Thursday reported three more human cases of H7N9 bird flu.

A 40-year-old man surnamed Yang, a native of Taihu County, was confirmed to have been infected with the H7N9 virus on Monday and is in a critical condition, the provincial health and family planning commission announced on Tuesday.

Two other cases were reported on Thursday. One patient, 69, surnamed Cao, is from Tunxi District of Huangshan City. Cao was confirmed to have contracted the virus on Wednesday. The third patient, a 58-year-old native of Maanshan City surnamed Han, was confirmed to be infected on Thursday.

Cao and Han are both in critical condition. They are being treated in local hospitals.

H7N9 bird flu was first reported in China in March 2013. The virus causes severe diseases in humans, including acute and often lethal respiratory failure. The country has reported more than 200 human H7N9 cases.