#18,765
On the heels of last week's belated announcement of Cambodia's 5th H5N1 Case of 2025, their Ministry of Health today announced the death of a 52-year old man from Svay Rieng Province.
While the clade of this infection has not yet been specified, recent cases in Cambodia and Vietnam have stemmed from a resurgent older, and more virulent, clade (formerly clade 2.3.2.1c but recently redubbed as 2.3.2.1e).This is the 6th case, and 5th fatality reported from H5N1 by Cambodia this year.
Unlike last week's case, this patient reportedly had contact with sick and dead chickens prior to falling ill. Despite concerted public health messaging, the sharing, and cooking, of sick or dying poultry remains a common practice in Cambodia.The announcement (see screen shot below) was made on the Cambodian MOH Facebook page. I've provided a translation (emphasis mine).
Of the 22 Cambodian cases reported since early 2023, only 6 have been in adults and 4 of those survived. But among the 16 children and adolescents infected - while several had mild symptoms - most were severe and half (n=8) have died.Kingdom of Cambodia
Nation Religion King
Ministry of Health
Press Release
Death from bird flu in a 52-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 52-year-old man who was confirmed positive for the H5N1 avian influenza virus by the National Institute of Public Health on June 20, 2025, residing in Prasat village, Por Reach commune, Svay Chrum district, Svay Rieng province.
Despite the care, care and resuscitation provided by the medical team, the patient died on June 19, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. due to a serious condition including fever, cough, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. Investigations revealed that the patient had handled and been in contact with sick and dead chickens 2 days before the patient became ill.
The emergency response team of the Ministry of Health at the national and sub-national levels has been collaborating with the working groups of the provincial agriculture departments and local authorities at all levels to actively investigate the outbreak of bird flu and respond according to technical methods and protocols, find the source of transmission in both animals and humans, and search for suspected cases and contacts to prevent further transmission in the community, as well as distribute Tamiflu to close contacts and conduct a health education campaign for citizens in the village where the incident occurred.
The Ministry of Health would like to remind all citizens to always pay attention to and be vigilant about bird flu because 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, sputum discharge, or difficulty breathing and have a history of contact with sick or dead chickens or ducks within 14 days before the start of the symptoms, do not go to gatherings or crowded places and seek consultation and treatment at the nearest health center or hospital immediately. Avoid delaying this, which puts you at high risk of eventual death.
Over the past 20+ years, H5N1 has taken a disproportionately heavy toll on younger individuals, a topic we've revisited often (see Nature Comms: Immune history shapes human antibody responses to H5N1 influenza viruses).
