More human infections of H7N9 avian flu have been reported across China despite a decline in the rate of new cases.

Eight cities in east China's Jiangxi Province reported a total of 28 human H7N9 avian flu cases, including seven fatalities, from Jan. 1 to Feb. 12 this year, the provincial health and family planning commission said Thursday.

In southeast China's Fujian Province, nine new infections have been reported in February. One patient died.

The virus resulted in 192 infections, including 79 fatalities, in 16 provincial-level regions in January, health authorities said Wednesday.

Most cases were around the Yangtze and Pearl River deltas, with Zhejiang, Hunan and Guangdong all reporting more than 20 cases since the beginning of this year.

Sales of live poultry have ceased in cities across the provinces of Sichuan, Hunan, Zhejiang and Guangdong due to health concerns.

As contact with infected poultry and exposure to live poultry markets are still the main cause of the disease, authorities are urging people to avoid such markets, where poor sanitation conditions can raise the risk of contamination.

H7N9 is a bird flu strain first reported to have infected humans in China in March 2013. Infections usually occur in winter and spring.