NANCHANG - Thirteen of the 37 people infected with H7N9 avian flu have died since January in east China's Jiangxi Province, the provincial health and family planning commission announced Saturday.

The province has stepped up monitoring of the epidemic as well as efforts to halt the operation of live poultry markets and carry out disinfection and quarantine to prevent infection.

The public are advised to avoid contact with dead and live poultry and to seek medical treatment in the event of any suspicious symptoms.

According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, 79 people died nationwide in January from the virus.

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