Feb 21, 2013 (CIDRAP News) – A 20-month-old Cambodian boy has died of H5N1 avian flu in a village near the residence of the country's previous case-patient, marking the eighth H5N1 case and seventh H5N1 death in the nation this year.
Cambodia's Ministry of Health (MoH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a joint statement today that the boy, from Ang Romduol village in Kampot province, was found positive for H5N1 on Feb 19 by the country's Pasteur Institute.
He developed a fever and runny nose on Feb 6 and was first treated by local practitioners, but he was transferred on Feb 18 to Kantha Bopha Hospital in Phnom Penh when his condition worsened, according to the statement. He died there the next day.
"There is evidence of recent deaths among poultry in the village," the statement said.
The Phnom Penh Post reported today that the boy's village is just a little over a mile away from the home of Cambodia's previous case-patient, a 3-year-old girl from the same district who died last week.
Dr. Denis Laurent, from Kantha Bopha, said the boy's illness was advanced when he was hospitalized. "As for every child, we tried to do the best we could, but unfortunately, we couldn't save this child," he told the Post.
Of the eight H5N1 cases in Cambodia this year, seven have been in children. The only surviving patient was an 8-month-old boy.
Since 2005 the country has confirmed 29 H5N1 cases, including 26 deaths. Of the 29 cases, 20 were in children under 14 years old.
"Avian influenza H5N1 remains a serious threat to the health of Cambodians, especially children," said Minister of Health Dr. Mam Bunheng in the MoH/WHO statement.
"Children are at high risk because they may play where poultry are found and I urge parents and guardians to keep children away from sick or dead poultry and prevent them from playing with chickens and ducks." He also urged an end to home slaughtering of poultry and to preparing sick or dead birds for food.
The WHO and district health officials have assembled a rapid-response team and are intensifying a communications campaign across the district, the Post reported.
If officially confirmed by the WHO, the new case would push the global H5N1 case count to 621, including 369 deaths.
See also:
Feb 21 MoH/WHO statement
Feb 21 Phnom Penh Post story
Feb 13 CIDRAP News story "Cambodia, China report H5N1 fatalities"
