HANGZHOU - Three new cases of H7N9 avian influenza were confirmed on Friday in East China's Zhejiang province, bringing the number of H7N9 cases there to 30, according to local authorities.

A 43-year-old man surnamed Ding and a 48-year-old man surnamed Shu in Hangzhou, as well as a 66-year-old woman surnamed Xu in Huzhou, tested positive for the new strain of bird flu on Friday, according to the provincial health department.

All three patients are in critical condition. They are being treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of the College of Medicine, Zhejiang University in Hangzhou.

Meanwhile, an H7N9 patient surnamed Jia was discharged from the same hospital at 11 a.m. on Friday after making a full recovery, according to the health department.

China has reported a total of 91 cases of H7N9, including 17 that have ended in death.