#19,352
Cambodia's Ministry of Health has announced their 6th confirmed HPAI H5N1 human infection of 2026 - and 40th since early 2023 - this time involving a 49-year-old man from Oddar Meanchey Province who is hospitalized and was confirmed positive on September 27, 2026.The man reportedly worked on a farm and had direct contact with sick and dead chickens which were confirmed positive for H5N1 by the National Animal Health and Production Research Institute on September 23, 2026.
Some translated excerpts from the press release, after which I'll have a bit more.
(Translation)In February of 2023 an older clade of H5N1 (2.3.2.1.x) reemerged in Cambodia's population after a 9 year absence, spilling over into 6 humans in 2023, 10 people in 2024, and 18 people in 2025.
Kingdom of Cambodia
Nation, Religion, King
Ministry of Health
Press ReleaseA Case of Bird Flu in a 49-Year-Old Man
The Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Cambodia wishes to inform the public of a confirmed case of bird flu (H5N1) in a 49-year-old man. The case was confirmed positive for the H5N1 virus on September 27, 2026, by the National Institute of Public Health and the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge. The patient resides in Tuol Kruos Village, O'Svay Commune, Trapeang Prasat District, Oddar Meanchey Province. Currently, the patient is in isolation at the hospital and is receiving attentive care and treatment from the medical team. Inquiries revealed that the patient raised and cared for chickens at a farm and had direct contact with sick and dead chickens; the latter were confirmed positive for the H5N1 avian influenza virus by the National Animal Health and Production Research Institute on September 23, 2026.
National and sub-national Ministry of Health rapid response teams are collaborating with provincial agricultural departments and local authorities at all levels to actively investigate the avian influenza outbreak. They are responding in accordance with established technical protocols and methods to identify sources of transmission—in both animals and humans—and to locate suspected cases and contacts in order to prevent further community spread. Additionally, they are distributing Tamiflu to close contacts and conducting health education campaigns for residents in the affected village. The Ministry of Health wishes to once again remind all citizens to remain vigilant regarding bird flu, as the H5N1 virus continues to pose a threat to public health. If you experience symptoms such as fever, coughing, a runny nose, or difficulty breathing—and have had contact with sick or dead poultry within the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms—please avoid gatherings or crowded public places. Instead, seek immediate consultation and medical treatment at the nearest health center or hospital to avoid delays that could lead to a high risk of fatal consequences.
Transmission: H5N1 bird flu is an influenza virus that typically spreads among birds; however, it can sometimes be transmitted from birds to humans through close contact with sick or dead poultry. Bird flu in humans is a serious illness that requires timely hospital treatment. Although it does not easily spread from person to person, if it mutates, it could become transmissible—much like seasonal influenza.
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Telephone: (+855) 23 885 970
Email: info@moh.gov.kh
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Most of these recent Cambodian cases have been due to a new reassortment of an older clade of the H5N1 virus (recently renamed 2.3.2.1e) - which appears to be spreading rapidly through both wild birds and local poultry.
Unlike the recent North American H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b cases - which have proved far less virulent - Cambodia has seen a 40% fatality rate across these 40 cases.
While we usually focus on the more dominant H5 2.3.4.4b clade, these cases remind us that there are other lineages of HPAI H5 still in circulation around the globe (see Viruses: Zoonotic Implications of the Co-Circulation of Clade 2.3.4.4b and 2.3.2.1a H5N1 Avian Influenza Viruses in Nepal in 2023), and each is on their own evolutionary trajectory.