PHNOM PENH: A 41-year-old woman from northwestern Cambodia's Siem Reap province has been confirmed for H5N1 human avian influenza, raising the number of cases to seven so far this year, the Ministry of Health said in a statement Monday (June 23) night.
"A laboratory result from the National Institute of Public Health showed on June 23 that the woman was positive for H5N1 virus," the statement said.
"The patient has the symptoms of fever, cough, and dyspnea, and she is currently in critical condition," it added. (Dyspnea is difficulty in breathing.)
According to queries, there were sick and dead chickens at the patient's home and her neighbour's homes, and the patient had been in contact with sick and dead chickens and cooked them for food five days before she felt ill.
Health authorities are looking into the source of the infection and are examining any suspected cases or people who have been in contact with the victim in order to prevent an outbreak in the community.
Tamiflu (oseltamivir), an antiviral drug to prevent the bird flu from spreading, was also given out to people who had direct contact with the patient, the statement said.
So far this year, the kingdom recorded a total of seven human cases of H5N1 bird flu, with five deaths.
From 2003 to date, there were 79 cases of human infection with H5N1 influenza, including 48 deaths in the Southeast Asian country, according to the ministry. - Xinhua
