Man dies of H5N1 bird flu in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- A 22-year-old Cambodian man had died of H5N1 human avian influenza, said a Ministry of Health's statement released on Sunday.

"A laboratory result from the National Institute of Public Health showed on Nov. 15, 2025 that the man was positive for H5N1 virus," the statement said.

The ill-fated man lived in Kien Khleang village of Chroy Changvar district in the capital Phnom Penh.

Health authorities are looking into the source of the infection and are examining any suspected cases or people who have been in contact with the victim in order to prevent an outbreak in the community, the statement said.

Tamiflu (oseltamivir), an antiviral drug to prevent the bird flu from spreading, was also distributed to people who had direct contact with the victim, it added.

H5N1 influenza is a flu that normally spreads between sick poultry, but it can sometimes spread from poultry to humans, and its symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and severe respiratory illness.

The Ministry of Health called on people to be extra vigilant and not to eat ill or dead poultry, saying that bird flu still poses a threat to people's health.

So far this year, the Southeast Asian country recorded a total of 17 human cases of H5N1 bird flu, with six deaths, according to the Ministry of Health. Enditem