The Ministry of Health in Cambodia confirmed that a 19 year old man is the
eighth person who has been detected with confirmed avian influenza in
Cambodia since early 2005. This is the first case of avian influenza
detected in Cambodia in 2008. The patient is from Kandal Steung District in
Kandal Province.

The patient became ill with fever, cough, muscle ache and sore throat on
[28 Nov 2008] and sought medical attention at local health centres
originally on [30 Nov 2008] and again on [2 Dec 2008]. The patient was
identified during surveillance for acute fever illness, a research study
conducted in the province and confirmatory testing was done by the National
Influenza Centre in Phnom Penh on [11 Dec 2008].

The patient is currently being treated in Calmette hospital, Phnom Penh.
Field investigation teams, headed by MoH are in the field to identify human
contacts and start prophylaxis treatment. The Ministry of Health will
continue to go house to house in the affected area looking for people who
have a fever, cough and contact with sick or dead chickens. Public
education materials will also be distributed.

The Ministry of Agriculture are conducting a detailed investigation into
poultry deaths in the area around the village.

This is the 8th confirmed case of human H5N1 influenza in Cambodia. All
previous 7 cases died. The last case occurred in April 2007. Globally there
have been 389 confirmed cases of human H5N1 infections of which 246 have died.

--
Dr Sok Touch
Director of Communicable Disease Control Department
Ministry of Health, Cambodia
Dr Ly Sovann
Deputy Director Communicable Disease Control Department
Dr Michael O´Leary
WHO Representative. WHO/Cambodia
Dr Nima Asgari
Epidemiologist. WHO/Cambodia