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The World Health Organization and Cambodia’s MOH have released the following joint statement on the 9th H5N1 case of 2013, which is now posted on the UN Cambodia website.
Ninth New Human Case of Avian Influenza H5N1 in Cambodia in 2013
Joint Press Release from the Ministry Of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO)
Phnom Penh, 27 February 2013
The Ministry of Health (MoH) of the Kingdom of Cambodia wishes to advise members of the public that one more new human case of avian influenza has been confirmed positive for the H5N1 virus.
The ninth case, a 35-year-old man from Kbal Ou village, Me Sar Chrey commune, Stueng Trang district in Kampong Cham province, was confirmed positive for influenza H5N1 on 23 February 2013 by Institut Pasteur du Cambodge.
He developed fever on 8 February 2013 and his condition worsened on 10 February 2013 with fever, frequent cough, and dyspnea. Local private practitioners initially treated him but his condition further deteriorated.
On 13 February he was admitted to the Kampong Cham Hospital with fever, severe cough and dyspnea and was immediately treated with Tamiflu. He developed pneumonia on 21 February and was transferred to Calmette Hospital in Phnom Penh. Unfortunately, despite intensive medical care he died on 25 February.
There is evidence of recent deaths among poultry in the village and the man had history of coming into contact with sick poultry prior to becoming sick. The man is the ninth person this year and the 30th person to become infected with the H5N1 virus, and the 27th person to die from complications of the disease in Cambodia.
Of the 30 confirmed cases, 20 were children under 14, and 19 of the 30 were female.
"Avian influenza H5N1 remains a serious threat to the health of all Cambodians. This is the ninth case of H5N1 infection in humans this year,” said HE Dr. Mam Bunheng, Minister of Health.
Despite many opportunities to do so, the virus has not managed to adapt well enough to humans to pose a pandemic threat. Nevertheless, the potential for this status quo to change exists, and so the WHO provides this risk assessment:
Public health risk assessment of avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses:
Any time influenza viruses are circulating in poultry, sporadic infections or small clusters of human cases are possible especially in people exposed to infected poultry kept in households.
However, currently, this H5N1 virus does not appear to transmit easily among people and therefore the risk of community level spread of this virus remains low. Therefore, the public health risk associated with this virus remains unchanged.
