Source: AP
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 9 (AP) - (Kyodo)—A 5-year-old Cambodian girl has died from the H5N1 strain of bird flu, Cambodia's Health Ministry and World Health Organization reported Wednesday.
In a joint statement, they said the girl from Phnom Penh died at hospital last Friday as a result of respiratory complications after contracting the deadly strain of human avian influenza virus.
The girl is the 11th person in Cambodia to become infected with the H5N1 virus and the ninth to die from complications of the disease since the first known fatal case in 2005.
The previous confirmed case of human infection with the same virus was a 27-year-old man from Prey Veng Province who died April 14 after having prepared and consumed sick poultry.
"Avian influenza H5N1 is still a threat to the health of Cambodians. I urge communities to be on the lookout for respiratory infection with history of contact with dead or sick poultry to promptly seek medical attention at the nearest health facilities" Health Minister Mam Bun Heng said.
The virus normally spreads between sick poultry but it can sometimes spread from poultry to humans. It does not spread easily between humans, differing in that respect from the milder H1N1 bird flu virus.
No comments:
Post a Comment