Cambodia reports fifth bird flu death this year

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Cambodia registered its fifth bird flu death this year after a 52-year-old man died from the virus, the health ministry said on Saturday.

The villager from eastern Svay Rieng province died on Thursday with tests confirming he had contracted the avian flu virus H5N1, the Cambodian health ministry said in a statement.

"The victim touched sick and dead chickens two days before he fell ill," it said, adding he had "fever, cough, and difficulty breathing" before he died at a hospital.

Last month, Cambodia registered its fourth death from bird flu this year after an 11-year-old boy died from the virus.

The H5N1 virus is generally transmitted to humans after contact with infected birds or in high-risk environments, such as farms or live animal markets, but the likelihood of transmission to humans remains rare.

A total of 43 people died from bird flu in Cambodia between 2003 and 2024, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

There were no cases between 2014 and 2022, following which the WHO reported an uptick as the virus killed four people in the kingdom in 2023 and two last year.