H5N1 death in Cambodia leads to HPAI discovery

04 Jun 2012
WorldPoultry.net

Following the death of a 13-year old girl in the village of Pring from H5N1 on 26 May 2012, an investigative team from the Department of Animal Health was sent to village to sample the local chickens and ducks. Tests confirmed some samples were positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received a report from Dr Sen Sovann of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Phnom Penh that real-time PCR showed positive for the H5N1 virus, and that standard control measures are being applied.

To date, 740 local chickens and ducks have been destroyed from a susceptible population of 1,304.

The village Pring, is in the southern province (khaet)of Kampong Speu, Cambodia. The epidemic is on-going, and the source of the infection is unknown. The OIE will issue weekly follow-up reports.

Cambodian girl, 10, dies from bird flu: WHO

28 May 2012
AFP

PHNOM PENH — A 10-year-old Cambodian girl has died from bird flu, the World Health Organization said Monday, the country's third fatality from the virulent disease this year.

The child developed a fever and shortness of breath on May 20 and died on Sunday, the WHO said in a joint statement with the Cambodian health ministry.

Hospital tests confirmed she had contracted the H5N1 strain of avian influenza.

"There is evidence of recent deaths among poultry in the village and the patient prepared sick chicken for food prior to becoming sick," the statement said.

Bird Flu Researchers Postpone Work Amid Bioterrorism Concern

Monday, 23 January 2012
VOA News | Washington, DC

Two separate teams of scientists trying to develop a vaccine for the H5N1 strain of bird flu have agreed to temporarily postpone their research because of growing concern that a highly-infectious version of the virus the researchers are working with could fall into the hands of terrorists or trigger a deadly pandemic.

The laboratory-altered strain the scientists are working with is a potent airborne variety of H5N1 that easily could spread among humans. The original H5N1 strain of avian influenza has killed 340 people worldwide since it was first detected in 2003.

Scientists at the University of Wisconsin in the United States and at Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands say they are voluntarily halting their work for 60 days. They say the two months will give governments, international organizations and the scientific community time to determine whether the research can be conducted safely.

China reports second bird flu death this month

Sunday, January 22, 2012
The State Column (USA)

China reported its second bird flu death this month,following recent deaths from bird flu were reported in Vietnam and Cambodia.

China’s second death was a 39-year-old man from the Guizhou province, located in southwest China. The bird flu strain was observed to be highly pathogenic, but has not been identified as H5N1, yet.

The man was admitted into the hospital on January 6th, suffering a high fever. After receiving critical care, the patient died.

The man reported that he had no direct contact with poultry. However, during the infection, he had come into close contact with 71 people. So far none of these exposed people have displayed symptoms of bird flu.

Vietnam reports 1st bird flu death in 2 years

Jan 19, 2012
AP

HANOI, VIETNAM: Vietnam has recorded its first human bird flu death in nearly two years, and although the victim worked at a duck farm the H5N1 virus has yet to be found in poultry there, officials said on Thursday.

Test results confirmed that an 18-year-old man died of the disease on Monday after being hospitalized a day earlier, said Dang Thi Thanh of southern Kien Giang province's health department.

She said the man was working at a duck farm in neighbouring Can Tho City when he fell sick with a high fever and breathing problems. His house has been disinfected and those who were in contact with him remain under surveillance.

Cambodian toddler dies from bird flu: WHO

Thursday, January 19, 2012
AFP

PHNOM PENH — A two-year-old Cambodian boy has died from bird flu, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, in the country's first fatality from the virus this year.

The child, from northwestern Banteay Meanchey province, fell ill on January 3 and was taken to hospital where he tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza. He died on January 18, the WHO said on Thursday.

"The boy is the 19th person in Cambodia to become infected with the H5N1 virus; to date, 17 of these cases have died from complications of the disease," the UN health agency said on its website.

Bird flu-infected Cambodian boy died

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) -- A 2-year-and-7 month-old boy from northwestern province of Banteay Meanchey had died early Wednesday from avian influenza A (H5N1) virus after being admitted to hospital for about a week, said a senior health official.

"The boy passed away at 2:00 a.m. early Wednesday due to critical condition," Sok Touch, director of the Health Ministry' s anti-communicable disease department, told Xinhua over telephone on Wednesday.

He said the boy was the nineteenth person in Cambodia to become infected with H5N1 virus, and the first person died this year. "To date, 17 persons had died from H5N1 in Cambodia," he said.

Cambodia finds first case of H5N1 infection in human in 2012

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- A 2-year-old boy from northwestern Cambodian province of Banteay Meanchey was infected with avian influenza H5N1 virus, Cambodia's Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization announced Friday.

The patient is currently in "critical condition" in Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap province.

The boy became sick on Jan. 3 with fever, cough, runny nose and vomiting, the statement said, adding that he was initially treated by local private practitioners, but his conditions worsened and he was admitted to Angkor Hospital for Children on Jan. 9.

Warning from UN over new strain of bird flu

Aug 31 2011
By Brendan Hughes
Western Mail

FEARS of a new outbreak of bird flu were raised yesterday by the United Nations, following the emergence of a mutated strain of the disease that is able to sidestep vaccines.

The avian flu variant has appeared in Vietnam and China and its risk to humans cannot be predicted, say UN veterinary officials.

It could also threaten Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia, where eight people have died after becoming infected this year, they warned.

The World Health Organisation says avian flu has killed 331 people since 2003.

UN warns on mutant bird flu in China, Vietnam

Mon, Aug 29, 2011
By Mike Clarke | AFP

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on Monday warned about a new mutant strain of the deadly bird flu H5N1 virus in China and Vietnam, saying there could be a "major resurgence" of the disease.

The Rome-based organisation said it was concerned about "the appearance in China and Vietnam of a variant virus able to sidestep the defences provided by existing vaccines," adding that the new strain was known as H5N1 - 2.3.2.1.

"Virus circulation in Vietnam poses a direct threat to Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia as well as endangering the Korean peninsula and Japan," it said, warning that the virus could be spread beyond Asia by wild bird migration.

UN Warns of New Threat of Bird Flu

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011
Voice of America

The United Nations is warning of a possible resurgence of the deadly bird flu virus, including a mutant strain that is spreading in Asia and elsewhere.

The world body's Food and Agriculture Organization said Monday that a variant strain of the H5N1 virus , which appears able to bypass the defenses of existing vaccines, has appeared in China and Vietnam.

The agency also said bird flu has killed eight people in Cambodia this year, including a 6-year-old girl who died this month.

Bird flu fear as mutant strain hits China and Vietnam

Officials fear the virus could spread from Vietnam

29 August 2011
BBC News Asia-Pacific

Avian flu shows signs of a resurgence, while a mutant strain - able to sidestep vaccines - could be spreading in Asia, the United Nations has warned.

The variant appeared in Vietnam and China and its risk to humans cannot be predicted, veterinary officials said.

Virus circulation in Vietnam threatens Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia, where eight people have died after becoming infected this year, they warned.

The World Health Organization says bird flu has killed 331 people since 2003.

WHO confirms another bird flu death in Cambodia

Eighth bird flu death in Cambodia reported this year

August 24, 2011
AHN

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday confirmed another bird flu death in Cambodia.

The victim is a six-year-old girl and is the eighth person to have died of the outbreak this year.

In a joint statement, the Health Ministry and WHO said that the child belonged to eastern Kampong Cham province and she died on August 14 after contracting H5N1 avian influenza.

"The girl is the 18th person in Cambodia to become infected with the H5N1 virus and the 16th to die from complications of the disease," since 2005 they said.

Bird Flu Worries Rise With Seventh Fatality This Year

Worldwide, bird flu has been confirmed in 563 people since 2003, with 330 of them dying. (Photo: AP)

Friday, 29 July 2011
Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh

“She touched a dead chicken and got sick."

Bird flu has claimed the life of a 4-year-old girl from Banteay Meanchey province, the sixth child this year, health officials confirmed Friday.

The girl had been ill for 10 days and had sought treatment from a traditional healer before she was transferred to a pediatric hospital in Siem Reap, where she succumbed.

“She touched a dead chicken and got sick,” said Sok Touch, director of the Ministry of Health’s communicable disease department.

Cambodia reports H5N1 death, zoo outbreak

Lisa Schnirring, Staff Writer

Jul 29, 2011 (CIDRAP News) – Cambodia's health ministry today announced today that a 4-year-old girl died from an avian influenza infection, a day after the country's animal health officials reported that the virus struck a zoo in a different province.

The girl, from Banteay Meanchey province in the northwestern part of the country, died Jul 20, the ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a joint statement, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. Her death is Cambodia's seventh this year and pushes its number of H5N1 cases to 17, including 15 deaths.

The report did not mention if the girl had been exposed to sick or dead birds, but Cambodia's health minister, Mam Bun Heng, warned parents and guardians to keep children away from them, according to the AFP report.

Cambodian girl dies from bird flu: WHO

Jul 29, 2011
AFP

PHNOM PENH - A FOUR-YEAR-OLD Cambodian girl has become the seventh person to die from bird flu in the country this year, officials said on Friday.

The child, from north-western Banteay Meanchey province, died on July 20, the health ministry and the World Health Organization said in a joint statement. Tests confirmed she had contracted H5N1 avian influenza.

'I urge parents and guardians to keep children away from sick or dead poultry,' Cambodian Health Minister Mam Bun Heng said.

Bird flu claims 6th victim this year in Cambodia

2011-06-10
Associated Press

Cambodia says a 7-year-old girl is its sixth death from bird flu this year.

The Health Ministry said Friday the girl from Prey Veng province died June 7 of respiratory complications. Cambodia has now had 16 cases, and 14 victims have died. Its previous annual high was four deaths in 2005.

The ministry and the World Health Organization say 555 cases of bird flu have been confirmed since 2003 globally and 324 were fatal.

Cambodian girl dies of H5N1

PHNOM PENH, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization announced Friday that a seven-year-old girl from the eastern province of Prey Veng has died of avian influenza H5N1.

The girl died on June 7 as a result of respiratory complications after contracting human avian influenza virus H5N1, said a joint statement sent to the media.

"The girl is the 16th person in Cambodia to become infected with the H5N1 virus and the 14th person to die from complications of the disease since 2005," it said.

Bird flu risk "under control", say health experts

April 18, 2011

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (IRIN) – Health officials in Cambodia stress that they have not let down their guard against H5N1, despite four fatal cases of human avian flu this year, and are confident the community-based detection, surveillance and containment model remains robust and effective.

“There is no cause for alarm,” Chea Nora, a technical officer within the Emerging Disease Surveillance and Response unit at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Phnom Penh, told IRIN. “Even though Cambodia is the only country [in the Mekong region] that has had cases this year, H5N1 is well under control here.”

The four deaths, in February and March, were the first reported cases of H5N1 in Cambodia since April last year and raised the number of cases in the country to 14 since 2005, 12 of which have been fatal, according to the communicable disease department at Cambodia’s Ministry of Health.

WHO confirms new Cambodian bird flu casualty; 4th death since February

April 6, 2011

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (AHN) – The World Health Organization and Cambodian Health Ministry, have confirmed the death of an 11-year-old girl suffering from bird flu on Wednesday. With the fresh casualty, the death toll from the virus reached four since the start of the year.

The ministry said that the girl, who belonged to eastern Kampong Cham province, died on March 31 after contracting H5N1 avian influenza. “The girl is the 14th person in Cambodia to become infected with the H5N1 virus and the 12th to die from complications of the disease since 2003,” the statement said.