HEFEI, March 1-- February's fourth human case of the H7N9 strain of avaian flu has been confirmed in East China's Anhui Province, the provincial health authorities said on Saturday.

All four patients are confirmed to have had contact with live poultry, according to local authorities.

H7N9 is a bird flu strain first reported to have infected humans in March 2013. Humans are most susceptible to the virus in winter and spring.

So far at least 60 cases have been reported in south China's Guangdong Province. Several other Chinese localities including Shanghai, Fujian, Guizhou and Zhejiang have also reported human cases of H7N9 through this winter.