#18,541
We haven't heard much out of Cambodia since last August, when they reported their 10th H5N1 case of 2024. This morning, however, we have a report from the Cambodian MOH of the first case of 2025, a 28-year-old male who died today (January 10th) following a severe illness.
This is the 19th case reported in less than 2 years, after a lull of nearly a decade without a case in Cambodia.
I'll have a bit more after the break.
(Translation)
Kingdom of Cambodia Nation Religion King Ministry of Health 2
Press Release on Death from Bird Flu in a 28-year-old Man
The Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Cambodia would like to inform the public that there is 1 case of bird flu in a 28-year-old man who was confirmed positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus by the National Institute of Public Health on January 9, 2025, residing in Village No. 22, Chamkar Andong Commune, Chamkar Leu District, Kampong Cham Province.
Despite the care and rescue efforts of the medical team, due to the patient's serious condition, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing, the patient died on January 10, 2025. Investigations revealed that the patient's family raised chickens and the man was the caretaker and cooked the sick chickens for food.
The emergency response team of the Ministry of Health at the national and sub-national levels has been collaborating with the teams of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Environment, and local authorities at all levels to actively investigate the outbreak of bird flu and respond according to technical methods and protocols, continue to search for sources of infection in both animals and humans, and continue to search for suspected cases and contacts to prevent further transmission to others in the community, as well as distribute Tamiflu to close contacts and conduct health education campaigns for citizens in the villages where the incident occurred.
The Ministry of Health would like to remind all citizens to always pay attention to and be careful about bird flu, because the H5N1 bird flu continues to threaten the health of our citizens. We would also like to inform you that if you have a fever, cough, runny nose or difficulty breathing and have a history of contact with sick or dead chickens in the 14 days before the start of the outbreak, do not go to gatherings or crowded towns and seek consultation and treatment at the nearest health center or hospital as soon as possible to avoid delaying and putting yourself at high risk like this patient.
How it is transmitted: H5N1 bird flu is a type of flu that is usually spread from sick birds to other birds, but it can sometimes be spread from birds to humans through close contact with sick or dead birds. Bird flu in humans is a serious illness that requires prompt hospital treatment. Although it is not easily transmitted from person to person, if it mutates, it can be transmitted like seasonal flu.
Prevention: Do not touch or eat sick or dead chickens and wear gloves and a mask or cover your nose with a scarf before handling chickens for cooking. Then blanch them in boiling water before plucking their feathers.
Adhere to hygiene practices. Wash your hands frequently before handling food, especially after touching animals, plucking poultry feathers, or other objects that may be sources of contamination. Cook food thoroughly before eating, especially meat, poultry, and eggs. Do not eat raw chicken or duck eggs. Keep raw and cooked food separate. Clean food preparation equipment properly.
Therefore, the public is requested to be aware and take care of their health in accordance with the above prevention methods. The Ministry of Health will continue to provide information on public health issues on the Ministry of Health’s official social media channels, as well as the official Facebook page of the Department of Communicable Disease Control and the website www.cdcmoh.gov.kh.
Cambodia's avian flu resurgence appears to have begun with an older (2.3.2.1c) clade of H5N1, but last April in - FAO Statement On Reassortment Between H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4b & Clade 2.3.2.1c Viruses In Mekong Delta Region - we learned that a new genotype - made up of this older clade and the newer 2.3.4.4b clade of H5N1 - had emerged in Southeast Asia.
Last November, in Preprint: Emergence of a Novel Reassortant Clade 2.3.2.1c Avian Influenza A/H5N1 Virus Associated with Human Cases in Cambodia, we looked at an analysis of this new genotype, where the authors wrote:
In conclusion, these recurrent zoonotic infections caused by a novel reassortant A/H5N1 viruses in Cambodia serve as a reminder of the ever-present threat of AIV to global health security. Despite the recent focus on global dissemination and expanded host range of clade 2.3.4.4b 45-47 341 , clade 2.3.2.1c viruses remain a significant concern, particularly in Asia, where the two clades co-circulate.
A reminder that H5N1 is a multi-faceted global threat, and we need to monitor more than just HPAI H5 in dairy cows.
