SHENYANG - Three people have been confirmed to be infected with cutaneous anthrax in northeast China's Liaoning Province, local health authorities said Thursday.

As of 6 pm Wednesday, 21 cases have been reported in the city of Haicheng and Xiuyan County, the Liaoning Provincial Health Department said in a statement.

Three of the cases have been confirmed, while another 18 are still being investigated, according to the statement.

An initial investigation by local health authorities indicated that the patients contracted the disease after coming into direct contact with diseased cattle.

All of the patients have been quarantined and are receiving treatment in a hospital in the province's city of Anshan, according to the statement.

Anthrax is a lethal disease caused by the bacterium bacillus anthracis. It can affect both humans and animals.