An 11-year-old woman in Cambodia has died from fowl flu within the nation’s first recognized human H5N1 an infection since 2014, well being officers mentioned.
Chook flu, also called avian influenza, usually spreads in poultry and wasn’t deemed a menace to folks till a 1997 outbreak amongst guests to stay poultry markets in Hong Kong. Most human circumstances worldwide have concerned direct contact with contaminated poultry, however issues have arisen just lately about infections in a wide range of mammals and the chance the virus may evolve to unfold extra simply between folks.
The woman from the agricultural southeastern province of Prey Veng turned unwell Feb. 16 and was despatched to be handled at hospital within the capital, Phnom Penh. She was recognized Wednesday after struggling a fever as much as 39 Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) with coughing and throat ache and died shortly afterward, the Well being Ministry mentioned in a press release Wednesday night time.
Well being officers have taken samples from a lifeless wild fowl at a conservation space close to the woman’s dwelling, the ministry mentioned in one other assertion Thursday. It mentioned groups within the space would additionally warn residents about touching lifeless and sick birds.
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Cambodian Well being Minister Mam Bunheng warned that fowl flu poses an particularly excessive threat to kids who could also be feeding or gathering eggs from domesticated poultry, enjoying with the birds or cleansing their cages.
Signs of H5N1 an infection are much like that of different flus, together with cough, aches and fever, and in critical circumstances, sufferers can develop life-threatening pneumonia.
Cambodia had 56 human circumstances of H5N1 from 2003 by means of 2014 and 37 of them had been deadly, in line with the World Well being Group.
Globally, about 870 human infections and 457 deaths have been reported to the WHO in 21 international locations. However the tempo has slowed, and there have been about 170 infections and 50 deaths within the final seven years.
WHO Director-Normal Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus earlier this month expressed concern about avian influenza infections in mammals together with minks, otters, foxes and sea lions.
“H5N1 has unfold extensively in wild birds and poultry for 25 years, however the latest spillover to mammals must be monitored intently,” he warned.
In January, a 9-year-old woman in Ecuador turned the primary reported case of human an infection in Latin America and the Caribbean. She was handled with antiviral drugs.
Tedros mentioned earlier this month that the WHO nonetheless assesses the chance from fowl flu to people as low.
“However we can not assume that can stay the case, and we should put together for any change in the established order,” he mentioned. He suggested for folks to not contact lifeless or sick wild animals and for international locations to strengthen their surveillance of settings the place folks and animals work together.