Cambodia: 12 more infected with H5N1 bird flu following death of an 11yr old girl *5 updates*

Animals, Asia, Bird Flu, Birds, Cambodia, Children, Deaths, Infection, Influenza, Spillover, Symptoms, Testing, Transmission

Cambodia’s health department is reporting that 12 more people have been infected with H5N1 Avian flu following the death of a 11yr old girl from the virus yesterday.

Ms. Youk Sambath, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Health, has confirmed that the Ministry of Health’s emergency response team has found 12 more people infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) in Prey Veng province.

The Secretary of State stated that four of the affected people have begun to show symptoms.

She added that the emergency response team took their samples for analysis at a laboratory in Phnom Penh and the results will be released tomorrow.

Ms. Youk Sambath also said that the Ministry of Health’s emergency response team will continue to search for those affected by bird flu in schools tomorrow.

Khmer Times report

 

UPDATE 1 – 23rd February 2023

Translation from a Khmer newspaper confirms that only four people are currently showing symptoms:

Twelve people infected with bird flu were found and four people showed symptoms, a senior official of the Ministry called on people to be more careful.

Ms. Youk Sambath also said that the Ministry of Health’s emergency response team will continue to search for those affected by bird flu in schools tomorrow.

Freshnewsasia.com report

 

UPDATE 2 – 24th February 2023 – First bird flu death in Cambodia since 2014

This was the first death from bird flu in Cambodia since 2014, and the 57th case in the Kingdom. The authorities reported 37 H5N1-related deaths between 2005 and 2014.

According to the Secretary of State, four of the afflicted people have begun to exhibit symptoms. She went on to say that the emergency response team sent their samples to a laboratory in Phnom Penh for analysis, and that the results would be revealed today (24th February 2023).

Dolenglish.vn report

 

UPDATE 3 – 24th February 2023 – “An irregular number of dead wild animals”

The Health Ministry said its emergency response teams are investigating the area where the case happened.

The statement said “an irregular number of dead wild animals” were found near the place where the infected girl lived.

Samples from the dead animals were taken for lab testing and the ministry is awaiting the results.

Khmertimeskh.com report

 

UPDATE 4 – 24th February 2023 – Dead girl’s father also infected with H5N1

The father of the girl who died of bird flu yesterday has tested positive: “Doctors have found another H5N1 bird flu positive person in Prey Veng province, the father of the girl who died due to bird flu recently”

vayofm.com radio station report

 

UPDATE 5 – 25th February 2023 – H5N1 “primarily present in brain tissue .. rarely detected in the respiratory tract and intestinal tract..”

Most of the animals were submitted for testing because they showed neurological signs.

In this study, the HPAI H5N1 virus was detected by PCR and/or immunohistochemistry in 11 animals and was primarily present in brain tissue, often associated with a (meningo) encephalitis in the cerebrum. In contrast, the virus was rarely detected in the respiratory tract and intestinal tract and associated lesions were minimal.

Research: Zoonotic Mutation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Virus Identified in the Brain of Multiple Wild Carnivore Species

 

 

Bird Flu Pandemic: Mammals being infected with H5N1 across the globe

 

Photo by Tom Barrett on Unsplash

** This post was originally published on February 23, 2023 **