HANGZHOU - Three new human H7N9 cases were reported on Saturday in East China's Zhejiang province, bringing the total number of cases in the province to 20, local health authorities said.

The new cases include a 35-year-old man surnamed Xiao from Ningbo city, who is in critical condition and is being treated in hospital, according to a statement from the provincial health and family planning commission.

Another two patients are a 72-year-old woman from the city of Hangzhou and a 69-year-old man from the city of Shaoxing. They are also in critical condition, said the statement.

H7N9 avian flu cases have also been reported this year in Jiangsu and Guangdong provinces and Shanghai municipality.