BNN In the quiet village of Kapo 1, Kratie Province, Cambodia, a 16-year-old boy has become the fourth human case of Avian Influenza H5N1 in 2024. His brother recently succumbed to the same infection, raising concerns and prompting immediate action from local health authorities.
The new case, a close contact of the deceased, was detected during active case searching conducted by health officials. Interestingly, the boy displayed no respiratory symptoms, making the situation even more perplexing and emphasizing the need for vigilance. Cambodia has reported a total of ten human H5N1 cases since 2023. The recent infections, involving three children and one adult, have resulted in one fatality. All patients had a history of exposure to sick or dead poultry, and no person-to-person spread is believed to have occurred.
The H5N1 virus responsible for these infections has been identified as H5 clade 2.3.2.1c, an older strain currently circulating in poultry.
Rapid Response and Community Engagement
The Cambodian health ministry is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to curb the spread of the virus. They are tracking contacts and distributing oseltamivir to close contacts of the infected individuals.