Cambodia: man dies of bird flu after eating contaminated chicken

A 28-year-old Cambodian man died of bird flu on Friday after consuming contaminated chicken, the Cambodian Ministry of Health announced.

This resident of Kampong Cham province (east) tested positive for the H5N1 avian flu virus on Thursday.

“The patient was in critical condition with fever, cough and difficulty breathing,” the ministry said.

The deceased man raised poultry at his home and had “cooked sick chickens for consumption,” the ministry added.

An investigation is being carried out to determine the source of the contamination and identify possible suspected cases in the region, the ministry stressed, calling on the population to be vigilant because “H5N1 avian flu is still a threat to human health”.

At least three people, including a two-year-old girl, died from bird flu in Cambodia in 2023, and a nine-year-old boy died from the disease in 2024.

The H5N1 virus, responsible for avian influenza A, was identified in 1996.

In July, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that its ability to manage the risks of human infections by the H5N1 avian flu virus was being compromised by insufficient surveillance.

The WHO called on the international community to strengthen surveillance and report cases of contamination in animals and humans, and for scientists to share samples and genetic sequences.

Since late 2021, Europe has been hit by its worst outbreak of bird flu, with North and South America also severely affected.

Tens of millions of chickens have been sacrificed around the world, and tens of thousands of wild birds have died from the disease.