Phnom Penh (VNA) – Cambodia's Ministry of Health on August 3 announced the discovery of a new case of H5N1 avian influenza in a 16-year-old girl from Svay Rieng province’s Chantrea district, bringing its total number of human infections to nine since the beginning of the year.
As reported by Khmer Times, the press release from the ministry stated that the girl had a fever, cough, sore throat, exhaustion, and trouble breathing. She is presently undergoing intensive treatment due to the seriousness of her condition.
An official investigation revealed that four days before the onset of her illness, nine chickens had died at her and her neighbour’s homes and the girl had come into contact with and handled the dead chickens.
On August 1, the ministry also issued a press release confirming a four-year-old boy, who lives in Svay Rieng's Romeas Hek district, tested positive for the bird flu virus.
H5N1 is a subtype of influenza that predominantly infects birds. However, the virus can also infect mammals that have been exposed to infected birds in some cases, with symptoms being frequently severe or fatal.
Since 2003, Cambodia has recorded a total of 71 human cases of H5N1, of whom 42 succumbed to the disease./.
