H5N1 News: Cambodia Reports Yet Another Case of H5N1 Avian Flu Infection, This Time Involving A 21-Year-Old Woman In Kampot Province
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Nov 26, 2023 11 months, 3 weeks, 5 days, 13 hours, 11 minutes ago
H5N1 News: The Ministry of Health in Cambodia has confirmed yet another case of H5N1 bird flu, this time involving a 21-year-old woman in Dong Tong district, Kampot province. The announcement came on November 24, revealing that the patient fell ill on November 19, 2023, displaying respiratory symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, and cough. Swift action was taken, with the patient being admitted to the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital on November 23, 2023, where a medical team is currently treating her in the emergency room.
Cambodians And Their Chickens!
According to local
H5N1 News coverage, investigations by the Ministry of Health indicate that approximately a week before falling ill, there were reports of deceased chickens both at the patient's residence and in the surrounding village.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501397635/ministry-of-health-announces-h5n1-bird-flu-in-a-21-year-old-woman-in-kampot-province/
In response to the positive detection of the H5N1 virus, emergency response teams from the Ministry of Health in Cambodia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, as well as the Ministry of Environment, are actively working to contain the outbreak. Their efforts include identifying sources of transmission in both animals and humans, searching for suspected and affected cases, preventing further transmission within the community, distributing Tamiflu medication to those affected, and conducting health education campaigns in affected villages.
This marks the fifth reported case of H5N1 infection in Cambodia this year. The initial cases were reported in February, involving a fatal H5N1 case in an 11-year-old girl from Prey Veng province. Subsequently, her asymptomatic father was confirmed to be infected and isolated at a hospital. In October, two additional H5N1 avian flu cases, one of which was fatal, were reported. Notably, these cases in February represented Cambodia's first H5N1 infections since 2014.
Genetic sequencing of samples from these cases revealed that the H5N1 virus belonged to the 2.3.2.1c clade, consistent with viruses circulating in Southeast Asia since 2014.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been closely monitoring the situation, reporting 15 sporadic human H5N1 infections from eight countries since January 2022. Some cases were severe or fatal, while others were asymptomatic and believed to result from environmental contamination rather than true infection.
The majority of patients had a history of exposure to sick or dead poultry, with twelve cases associated with the more recent 2.3.4.4b clade. The CDC emphasizes that H5N1 continues to circulate in wild birds, poultry, and certain mammals, including marine animals and fur farms. At present, many poultry farms across Europe, Canada and the United States are being ravaged by the H5N1 virus. The overall risk to human health remains low, accordi
ng to the CDC's risk assessment. Nevertheless, they stress the importance of vigilant monitoring to identify any changes in the virus that could increase its potential for human transmission.
As Cambodia grapples with this latest H5N1 case, global health authorities are closely watching the situation, underscoring the need for international cooperation to address and mitigate the ongoing threat of avian influenza.
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H5N1 News, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.
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