The bird flu situation in Cambodia “worrying“according to the WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with Cambodian authorities to take timely action in response to the bird flu situation in the country after detecting two human cases of H5N1 bird flu in a family.
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| According to the WHO, the situation of H5N1 infection in Cambodia is of concern due to the rapid spread of the virus among birds and infections detected in mammals and humans. |
| Photo: AFP/VNA/CVN |
Speaking at an online press conference on February 24, the Dr Sylvie Briand, WHO’s director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, said the WHO is reviewing its global risk assessment in light of recent developments in Cambodia.
Earlier this month, the WHO assessed the risk to humans from bird flu as low. According to the Dr Briand, the situation of the H5N1 infection is worrying because of the rapid spread of the virus in birds and the infections detected in mammals and humans.
On February 24, the Cambodian Ministry of Health announced that the country had detected the second human case of H5N1 avian flu after the death of an 11-year-old girl from the virus on February 22.
According to the ministry statement, a 49-year-old man from the southeastern province of Prey Veng, who is the father of the deceased girl, tested positive for the H5N1 virus by the National Institute of Public Health on February 24. . The man has not developed any noticeable symptoms so far.
It is the second human case of H5N1 bird flu this month after the virus has not been found in humans for nine years, the ministry added. After registering the death of an 11-year-old girl, the Cambodian health sector took samples to test 12 suspected cases.
From 2005 to date, there have been 58 cases of humans infected in the Southeast Asian country and 38 people have died. H5N1 bird flu is a flu that normally spreads in sick poultry, but it can sometimes be transmitted from poultry to humans, according to the WHO.
VNA/CVN
