During the 24-hour period ending 5 p.m. on Thursday, China confirmed five new cases of H7N9 avian influenza, with three, including one death, in east China's Shanghai and two in neighboring Jiangsu Province, authorities said.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission said in a daily update on H7N9 cases that so far the country has reported a total of 38 H7N9 cases, including 10 that ended in fatalities.

A total of 18 cases, including six ending in fatalities, have been reported in Shanghai. Twelve cases, including one death, have been reported in Jiangsu, and two cases, including one death, in the eastern province of Anhui. Six have been reported in the eastern province of Zhejiang, with two deaths.

China officially confirmed the occurrence of human infection with the H7N9 virus late last month.

No epidemiological link between those cases has been identified to date, the commission said.

Those who have had close contact with people infected by H7N9 have been placed under medical observation and have exhibited no abnormal symptoms, it added.

According to the commission, China's confirmed H7N9 cases are isolated and there has been no sign of human-to-human transmission.