Another dead case of H5N1 avian influenza has been found on a two-year old girl living in Chmar Lot village, South Snong commune, Kamchay Mear district, Prey Veng province, according to an announcement of the Ministry of Health released tonight.

The little girl was confirmed positive for H5N1 on Oct. 9 by the National Institute of Public Health, the source pointed out.

This is the 3rd case of H5N1 this year, and the 59th person to be infected with the virus in Cambodia since 2005, of them 40 lost their lives, it added.

The Ministry of Health’s Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) at the national and sub-national levels have been working to investigate the causes of transmission on both animals and humans and implement control measures as well as distribute Tamiflu to those who came in close contacts.

H5N1 is a type of influenza virus that causes a highly infectious, severe respiratory disease in birds called avian influenza (or “bird flu”). Human cases of H5N1 avian influenza occur occasionally, but it is difficult to transmit the infection from person to person.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse