The Ministry of Health (MoH) of the Kingdom of Cambodia wishes to advise members of the public that one new human case of avian influenza has been confirmed for the H5N1 virus. This is the 17th case this year and the 38th person to become infected with the H5N1 virus in Cambodia. Of the 38 confirmed, 27 were children under 14, and 22 of the 38 were female. In addition, only 7 cases out of the 17 cases this year survived.

The 17th case, a 6-year-old boy from Prey Tathuk Village, Prek Sleng commune, Kandal Stung district in Kandal province confirmed positive for human H5N1 avian influenza on 17th August 2013 by Instiut Pasteur du Cambodge. The boy developed fever on 21st July and his parents tried to treat him with medicine purchased from a drug store in the village. His condition worsened and he was brought to the Beung Khyang Health Centre on 22nd July with fever, headache, abdominal pain, vomiting, cough and lethargy. On 23rd July, the boy was enrolled in an Acute Febrile Illness Surveillance (FSS) study, in Kandal, and samples were collected from him. Initial testing in the surveillance study indicated a possible H5N1 infection. On 16th August, the boy’s samples were sent in a batch to Instiut Pasteur du Cambodge for testing of H5N1. The boy has now recovered. The boy came into contact with sick poultry