One more person infected by bird flu in Cambodia as worries grow
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Villagers posing with posters about H5N1 virus threats in Cambodia's Prey Veng province.
PHOTO: AFP
PHNOM PENH – The father of an 11-year-old girl who died from avian influenza in Cambodia this week has been diagnosed with the virus, officials said, stoking concerns about the possibility of another animal-borne virus affecting humans.
The girl, who died on Thursday, was the country’s first fatality from the virus in years, according to the health authorities. She had fallen ill seven days prior with a fever, cough and sore throat.
Eleven more people who had been in close contact with the girl have undergone lab testing for H5N1, said Dr Or Vandine, Cambodia’s Secretary of State and spokesman for the Ministry of Health.
The girl’s 49-year-old father is the only one who has tested positive. An investigation is ongoing, she said.
The patient who died was exposed to sick birds before she became infected.
There has not been any indication that the virus is spreading from person to person, officials said.
But four of her close contacts had begun exhibiting signs of illness, according to reports in media outlets including the Khmer Times and the Voice of Vietnam.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is collaborating with the animal health authorities. Other investigating agencies include the Ministry of Health and provincial leaders.
The number of cases in wild and domesticated birds worldwide has skyrocketed to record levels.
While there has not been any recent signs of human-to-human transmission, infections in birds can be passed to humans via direct contact.
A handful of human cases have been detected each year since 2015, when 145 people were infected globally.
In a report dated Feb 17, the WHO said that there have been 868 cases of humans infected with avian flu globally over the last 20 years. Of these, 457 were fatal.
At least one other person was diagnosed with avian influenza in 2023 – a nine-year-old girl living in a rural area of Bolivar province in Ecuador.
She was confirmed to be infected in January after being exposed to backyard poultry.
The girl is recovering from what was a critical illness and none of her close contacts has been infected, WHO experts said on Feb 8. BLOOMBERG
