PHNOM PENH, March 15 — A 45-year-old woman from far northwest Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province had been confirmed positive for H5N1 human avian influenza, becoming the second case of this year, the Ministry of Health said in a statement on Sunday.
The victim, living in Ropak village of Preah Netr Preah district, was confirmed positive for the virus by the National Institute of Public Health on Saturday.
Investigations revealed that the patient raised chickens and ducks, and some of her poultry fell ill and died.
She tested positive for H5N1 three days after having direct contact with the dead poultry, the ministry said in a statement.
Health authorities are looking into the source of the infection and are examining any suspected cases or people who have been in contact with the victim in order to prevent an outbreak in the community, the statement said.
It was the second human case of bird flu so far this year after the first case was detected on a 30-year-old man from southwest Kampot province in mid-February, and he recovered.
H5N1 influenza is a flu that normally spreads between sick poultry, but it can sometimes spread from poultry to humans, and its symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and severe respiratory illness. (Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
