Cambodia reports 21 bird flu case in 2013

An eight-year-old girl from Cambodia's eastern Kampong Thom province has been confirmed for the H5N1 virus, bringing the number of the cases to 21 so far this year, a joint statement by the World Health Organization and the Cambodian Health Ministry said Tuesday. The little girl was confirmed positive for human H5N1 avian influenza last week after she was admitted to the Jayavarman VII Hospital in Siem Reap province with fever, cough, vomiting and dyspnea, the statement said. "The girl has been treated with Tamiflu and her condition is now stable," it said. "Investigations revealed that the girl had come into direct contact with dead poultry when she helped prepare a meal from a chicken that had died earlier," it added. Only 10 out of the 21 cases this year survived. "Avian influenza H5N1 remains a serious threat to the health of all Cambodians and children seem to be most vulnerable and are at high risk," Health Minister Mam Bunheng said in the statement. "I urge parents and guardians to keep children away from sick or dead poultry and make sure children wash their hands with soap and water after any contact with poultry," he said. H5N1 influenza is a flu that normally spreads between sick poultry, but it can sometimes spread from poultry to humans, according to the WHO. It is a very serious disease that requires hospitalization. Cambodia sees the worst outbreak of the virus this year since it was first identified in 2004. To date, the country has recorded 42 human cases of the virus which has killed 30 people.