# 5339
The World Health Organization’s Global Alert and Response (GAR) site has just posted their official statement on the recent H5N1 cases in Cambodia.
This update fills in some details on the fatalities reported here, and in the media, on Wednesday of this week (see Cambodia Reports Two Bird Flu Fatalities).
The good news is, no other cases have been detected.
And since both victims had multiple contacts with sick or dead poultry prior to falling ill, and both became symptomatic at roughly the same time (Feb 5th), human-to-human transmission at this time does not appear to be likely.
These are the 2nd & 3rd H5N1 fatalities reported in Cambodia in 2011.
Avian influenza – situation in Cambodia - update
25 February 2011 - The Ministry of Health of Cambodia has announced 2 new confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) virus.
A 19-year-old female, from Takong village, Ta Kong commune, Malay district, Banteay Meanchey Province, developed symptoms on early hours of 5 February, was admitted to a private clinic on 9 February, referred to a hospital on 12 February, and died on 12 February without avian influenza being considered as a diagnosis. She had travelled from her home with her husband, her 11-month old son, her mother in law and her sister in law to Rokar Chor village, Bantey Chakrey commune, Prash Sdach district, Prey Veng Province on 3 January. She had multiple exposures to sick and dead poultry between the second half of January and early February. A blood specimen collected at hospital on 12 February was transferred to Institut Pasteur du Cambodge on 22 February and tested positive by (polymerase chain reaction) PCR.
The 11-month-old son developed symptoms on 5 February, was admitted to hospital 15 February and died on 17 February. He also had multiple exposures to sick and dead poultry in the same time frame. The presence of H5N1 virus in nasopharyngeal specimens was confirmed by Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, the National Influenza Centre on 20 February.
The Ministry of Health has been coordinating the response with assistance from WHO. To date no other symptomatic contacts have been found.
Of the 13 cases of human H5N1 virus infection confirmed since 2005 in Cambodia, 11 have been fatal.
