An 11-year-old boy died from bird flu in Cambodia’s fourth fatal case this year, Health Ministry announced Wednesday.
In a statement by the ministry, several chickens and ducks near the boy’s house were found to have been sick and dying for a week before the child started feeling ill, reports AP.
“Despite the care and rescue efforts of the medical team, the child died” Tuesday at a hospital after arriving with a fever, cough, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, the ministry said. Tests from the Pasteur Institute of Cambodia confirmed the boy, who lived in a village in the western province of Kampong Speu, died of H5N1 avian influenza.
Cambodia so far this year has recorded four human cases of H5N1 bird flu, all fatal.
All the victims were reported to have a history of exposure to sick or dead poultry prior to their illness. According to the World Health Organization, as of Monday, there were 10 confirmed human cases of bird flu reported worldwide so far this year, half of them fatal. While bird flus are rare and is not considered a food safety risk, scientists fear the virus could evolve to spread more easily among people.
Common bird flu symptoms include but are not limited to fever, cough, sputum discharge, or difficulty breathing after contact with sick or dead chickens and ducks. Health practitioners urge those with symptoms persisting after 14 days to isolate themselves from large gatherings and immediately seek out a doctor.