A 29-year-old man has died from bird flu in Cambodia and a toddler is critically ill with the virus after carrying sick and dead poultry from a market, health authorities said Thursday.
The man died in early November in western Pailin province near the border with Thailand after being admitted to hospital with a fever, the World Health Organization and Cambodia's Ministry of Health said in a joint statement.
In the other case a three-year-old boy remains seriously ill after carrying poultry from a market in central Kampong Speu province.
"Investigations reveal the chickens and ducks had been sick and/or dead for approximately three weeks prior to the boy's onset of illness (on November 5)," the statement said.
Cambodia has reported 26 cases of H5N1 flu this year, as it battles its deadliest outbreak of the virus since it came to prominence in 2003.
Urging parents to keep children away from sick or dead poultry Health Minister Mam Bunheng said the sickness remains a "serious threat" to the health of all Cambodians.
"Children often care for domestic poultry... (and) may also have closer contact as they often treat them as pets... and play where poultry are found," he said, adding anyone with symptoms should seek urgent medical care.
Public health campaigns are being carried out in all the affected areas, the statement said, re-iterating health advice for people to wash their hands with soap after coming into contact with poultry and not to eat sick birds or carrion.
Authorities in the impoverished kingdom have been scrambling to control the outbreak, although scientists have been baffled by the sharp rise in deaths this year.
The virus has killed more than hundreds of people worldwide since a major outbreak in 2003, according to WHO statistics.
It typically spreads from birds to humans through direct contact. But experts fear it could mutate into a form easily transmissible between humans, with the potential to trigger a pandemic.
Explore further: Bird flu kills 12th person in Cambodia this year
© 2013 AFP
Medical Xpress on facebook
Related Stories
Bird flu kills 12th person in Cambodia this year
Nov 04, 2013
A 2-year-old girl has become the 12th person to die of bird flu in Cambodia this year, authorities said Monday.
Cambodian boy dies from bird flu, WHO says
Aug 19, 2013
A nine-year-old boy has died from bird flu in Cambodia, the 10th victim this year, the World Health Organisation said Monday, warning that the kingdom's deadliest outbreak of the virus could continue.
Six-year-old Cambodian girl dies from bird flu
Jul 02, 2013
A six-year-old Cambodian girl has died from bird flu, bringing the country's toll from the deadly virus to nine so far this year, the World Health Organisation said Tuesday.
Cambodia reports eighth bird flu death, triggering fears
Feb 26, 2013
A 35-year-old man has become Cambodia's eighth bird flu fatality this year, prompting concern about the spread of the virus in the country, a health official said Tuesday,
Bird flu claims fifth Cambodian victim this year
Feb 08, 2013
A five-year-old Cambodian girl has died from bird flu, bringing the country's toll from the deadly virus to five so far this year, the World Health Organization said on Friday.
Recommended for you
New malaria vaccines roadmap targets next generation products by 2030
12 minutes ago
The world should aim to have vaccines which reduce malaria cases by 75 percent, and are capable of eliminating malaria, licensed by 2030, according to the updated 2013 Malaria Vaccine Technology Roadmap, launched today. This ...
Kuwait reports second MERS virus case
5 hours ago
Kuwait has reported its second case of the deadly MERS coronavirus for a man who just returned from abroad, the health ministry said.
Women with asthma could face a delay in becoming pregnant
14 hours ago
Women with asthma could take longer to conceive, according to new research.
National project tracks the spread of UK flu and extends monitoring to schools
14 hours ago
Are Northerners really more likely to get flu? Does regular exercise help you to recover faster? And what impact will the new childhood flu vaccinations have on the spread of the virus in schools? These are just some of the ...
Taiwan scientists report first case of new bird flu virus in humans
15 hours ago
Scientists from Taiwan report on the world's first confirmed case of human infection with a wild avian influenza A H6N1 virus in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
Urine tests don't always confirm urinary infections, study finds
15 hours ago
(HealthDay)—When doctors suspect a patient has a urinary tract infection, they often request a urine sample so they can test for the presence of bacteria. Now, new research suggests this step may be unnecessary.
User comments
© Medical Xpress 2011-2013, Phys.org network
A 29-year-old man has died from bird flu in Cambodia and a toddler is critically ill with the virus after carrying sick and dead poultry from a market, health authorities said Thursday.
The man died in early November in western Pailin province near the border with Thailand after being admitted to hospital with a fever, the World Health Organization and Cambodia's Ministry of Health said in a joint statement.
In the other case a three-year-old boy remains seriously ill after carrying poultry from a market in central Kampong Speu province.
"Investigations reveal the chickens and ducks had been sick and/or dead for approximately three weeks prior to the boy's onset of illness (on November 5)," the statement said.
Cambodia has reported 26 cases of H5N1 flu this year, as it battles its deadliest outbreak of the virus since it came to prominence in 2003.
Urging parents to keep children away from sick or dead poultry Health Minister Mam Bunheng said the sickness remains a "serious threat" to the health of all Cambodians.
"Children often care for domestic poultry... (and) may also have closer contact as they often treat them as pets... and play where poultry are found," he said, adding anyone with symptoms should seek urgent medical care.
Public health campaigns are being carried out in all the affected areas, the statement said, re-iterating health advice for people to wash their hands with soap after coming into contact with poultry and not to eat sick birds or carrion.
Authorities in the impoverished kingdom have been scrambling to control the outbreak, although scientists have been baffled by the sharp rise in deaths this year.
The virus has killed more than hundreds of people worldwide since a major outbreak in 2003, according to WHO statistics.
It typically spreads from birds to humans through direct contact. But experts fear it could mutate into a form easily transmissible between humans, with the potential to trigger a pandemic.
Explore further: Bird flu kills 12th person in Cambodia this year
© 2013 AFP
Medical Xpress on facebook
Related Stories
Bird flu kills 12th person in Cambodia this year
Nov 04, 2013
A 2-year-old girl has become the 12th person to die of bird flu in Cambodia this year, authorities said Monday.
Cambodian boy dies from bird flu, WHO says
Aug 19, 2013
A nine-year-old boy has died from bird flu in Cambodia, the 10th victim this year, the World Health Organisation said Monday, warning that the kingdom's deadliest outbreak of the virus could continue.
Six-year-old Cambodian girl dies from bird flu
Jul 02, 2013
A six-year-old Cambodian girl has died from bird flu, bringing the country's toll from the deadly virus to nine so far this year, the World Health Organisation said Tuesday.
Cambodia reports eighth bird flu death, triggering fears
Feb 26, 2013
A 35-year-old man has become Cambodia's eighth bird flu fatality this year, prompting concern about the spread of the virus in the country, a health official said Tuesday,
Bird flu claims fifth Cambodian victim this year
Feb 08, 2013
A five-year-old Cambodian girl has died from bird flu, bringing the country's toll from the deadly virus to five so far this year, the World Health Organization said on Friday.
Recommended for you
New malaria vaccines roadmap targets next generation products by 2030
12 minutes ago
The world should aim to have vaccines which reduce malaria cases by 75 percent, and are capable of eliminating malaria, licensed by 2030, according to the updated 2013 Malaria Vaccine Technology Roadmap, launched today. This ...
Kuwait reports second MERS virus case
5 hours ago
Kuwait has reported its second case of the deadly MERS coronavirus for a man who just returned from abroad, the health ministry said.
Women with asthma could face a delay in becoming pregnant
14 hours ago
Women with asthma could take longer to conceive, according to new research.
National project tracks the spread of UK flu and extends monitoring to schools
14 hours ago
Are Northerners really more likely to get flu? Does regular exercise help you to recover faster? And what impact will the new childhood flu vaccinations have on the spread of the virus in schools? These are just some of the ...
Taiwan scientists report first case of new bird flu virus in humans
15 hours ago
Scientists from Taiwan report on the world's first confirmed case of human infection with a wild avian influenza A H6N1 virus in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
Urine tests don't always confirm urinary infections, study finds
15 hours ago
(HealthDay)—When doctors suspect a patient has a urinary tract infection, they often request a urine sample so they can test for the presence of bacteria. Now, new research suggests this step may be unnecessary.
User comments
© Medical Xpress 2011-2013, Phys.org network
No comments:
Post a Comment