#18,805
This morning the Cambodia MOH posted an announcement on their Facebook page on another H5N1 case - this time in Tbong Khmum Province - involving a 6-year old boy who was exposed to sick or dead chickens.
The boy appears to be seriously ill with fever, cough, diarrhea, vomiting, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
This is the 13th case reported by Cambodia in 2025, and the 8th human infection since early June. I've posted the screenshot below, followed by a translation.
Kingdom of Cambodia, Nation, Religion, King
Ministry of Health
Press Release
A case of bird flu in a 6-year-old boy
The Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Cambodia would like to inform the public: There is another case of bird flu in a 6-year-old boy who was confirmed positive for the H5N1 avian influenza virus by the National Institute of Public Health on July 21, 2025. The patient lives in Bos Russey village, Doun Tei commune, Ponhea Krek district, Tbong Khmum province and has symptoms of fever, cough, diarrhea, vomiting, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
The patient is currently undergoing intensive medical care. Investigations revealed that during July, there were a series of sick and dying chickens in the village, and the boy visited a relative’s house, where there were nearly 100 dead chickens about 100 meters away from the child’s house, and brought one dead chicken to his grandmother to cook.
The emergency response team of the national and sub-national Ministry of Health has been collaborating with the working groups of the provincial Department of Agriculture 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 Tamigu medicine to close contacts and conduct health education campaigns among residents in the affected villages.
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.
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 contagious, just like seasonal flu.
Reports of so many human infections across several provinces of Cambodia all within a matter of a few weeks suggests the virus - which is reportedly a new reassortment of an older clade of the H5N1 virus recently renamed 2.3.2.1e) - is spreading rapidly through both wild birds and local poultry.
While we continue to focus on clade 2.3.4.4b H5 viruses, this case reminds us that there are many other iterations of HPAI H5 viruses circulating around the globe - with new ones emerging at an increasing rate - each on their own evolutionary trajectory.
While most won't ever rise to the level of being a pandemic threat, it only takes one lucky overachiever to change our world overnight.
