BEIJING -- China's health authority said Friday that the H7N9 epidemic had been on the decline since emergency measures were taken.

From Feb 24 to March 2, China reported 22 H7N9 cases, including 4 deaths, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC).

After the outbreak of the epidemic, areas with H7N9 cases shut down live poultry markets and suspended cross-area live poultry transport, preventing further spread of the epidemic.

From Feb 23 to March 3, the NHFPC coordinated prevention and control work with other agencies to inspect the nine areas with H7N9 cases.

Disease control and prevention experts said the H7N9 virus could not be transmitted from humans to humans.

Experts suggested that people avoided contact with dead and live poultry, bought poultry products with quarantine certificates and did not trust rumors.