Joint Press Release from the Ministry Of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO)
Phnom Penh, 4 April 2013
The
Ministry of Health (MoH) of the Kingdom of Cambodia wishes to advise
members of the public that one more new human case of avian influenza
has been confirmed positive for the H5N1 virus.
The tenth case, a
five-year-old boy from Boeung Tapream village, Sangkat Treuy Kors,
Kampong Bay district in Kampot province was confirmed positive for
influenza H5N1 on 2 April 2013 by Institut Pasteur du Cambodge.
He developed fever, convulsions and dyspnea on 27 March 2013. On 2h
March, his mother bought some medicines from a local pharmacy for him.
His condition worsened and on 29 March he was taken to the Treuy Kors
Health Centre.
The boy was then referred to the Kampot
Provincial Hospital the same day. On 31 March, his dyspnea worsened and
he was sent to the Kantha Bopha Hospital in Phnom Penh. In Kantha Bopha
Hospital, the boy has been treated with Tamiflu. He is currently in a
critical condition.
It is not known whether the boy had direct
contact with poultry. The boy is the tenth person this year and the 31st
person to become infected with the H5N1 virus in Cambodia. Of the 31
confirmed cases, 21 were children under 14, and 19 of the 30 were
female.
"Avian influenza H5N1 remains a serious threat to the
health of all Cambodians,” said H.E. Dr. Mam Bunheng, Minister of
Health. “This is the tenth case of H5N1 infection in humans this year.
Children also seem to be most vulnerable and are at high risk because
they like to play where poultry are found.”
“I urge parents and
guardians to keep children away from sick or dead poultry and prevent
them from playing with chickens and ducks. Parents and guardians must
also make sure children wash their hands with soap and water after any
contact with poultry. If they have fast or difficult breathing, they
should seek medical attention at the nearest health facility and
attending physicians must be made aware of any exposure to sick or dead
poultry.”
The Ministry of Health's Rapid Response Teams (RRT)
are currently in the village to identify the boy’s close contacts, any
epidemiological linkage among the 10 cases and initiate preventive
treatment as required. In addition, a public health education campaign
is being conducted in the village to inform families on how to protect
themselves from contracting avian influenza.
The Government's
message is - wash hands often; keep children away from poultry; keep
poultry away from living areas; do not eat dead or sick poultry; and all
poultry eaten should be well cooked.
Continued: http://www.un.org.kh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=621:2012-h5n1-seventhreport&catid=65:avian-influenza-h5n1&Itemid=119
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