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PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — A prime World Well being Group official, reacting to the dying of an 11-year-old woman in Cambodia contaminated by hen flu, stated Friday the latest world unfold of the virus and human infections are “worrying.”
Dr. Sylvie Briand, the WHO’s director for epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, stated the U.N. company is “in shut communication with the Cambodian authorities to grasp extra in regards to the outbreak.”
Talking forward of a gathering in Geneva on influenza vaccines, Briand known as the worldwide state of affairs regarding the virus “worrying given the broad unfold of the virus in birds world wide, and the rising stories of circumstances in mammals, together with people.”
“WHO takes the danger from this virus critically and urges heightened vigilance from all international locations,” she stated.
Impartial consultants even have expressed concern over a wave of hen flu that has unfold by way of a lot of the world since late 2021, posing a possible public well being threat.
The Cambodian woman, from a village within the southeastern province of Prey Veng, died Wednesday at a hospital within the capital, Phnom Penh, shortly after assessments confirmed she had Kind A H5N1 hen flu, in keeping with Cambodia’s Well being Ministry. She had fallen sick on Feb. 16, and when her situation declined she was despatched to the hospital with a fever as excessive as 39 levels Celsius (102 levels Fahrenheit) with coughing and throat ache.
The woman’s father examined optimistic for the virus however has not displayed any main signs, well being authorities stated Friday.
Fowl flu, often known as avian influenza, usually spreads between sick poultry however can generally unfold from poultry to people. The latest detection of infections in quite a lot of mammals, together with at a big mink farm in Spain, has raised concern amongst consultants that the virus may evolve to unfold extra simply between individuals, and doubtlessly set off a pandemic.
Well being Ministry spokesperson Ly Sovann informed The Related Press that the Cambodian father’s case is below investigation, and it was not but recognized how he grew to become contaminated. He has been put in isolation at a neighborhood district hospital for monitoring and therapy.
A ministry group collected samples from 12 individuals from the useless woman’s village recognized to have had direct contact together with her, and laboratory assessments confirmed Friday that solely her father was contaminated.
Well being professionals have expressed concern a couple of wave of hen flu that has unfold worldwide prior to now 12 months and a half, however think about the present threat to people to be low.
“There was a large world problem of untamed and home birds with the present H5N1 avian influenza virus over the previous couple of months and years, which could have uncovered many people; regardless of this, what’s outstanding is how few individuals have been contaminated,” professor James Wooden, head of the veterinary drugs division at England’s College of Cambridge, stated in an emailed assertion.
“Tragic although this case in Cambodia is, we count on there to be some circumstances of scientific illness with such a widespread an infection. Clearly the virus wants cautious monitoring and surveillance to test that it has not mutated or recombined, however the restricted numbers of circumstances of human illness haven’t elevated markedly and this one case in itself doesn’t sign the worldwide state of affairs has out of the blue modified,” Wooden added.
Based on the World Well being Group, there have been 56 hen flu circumstances in people in Cambodia from 2003 till 2014, and 37 of them have been deadly. Globally, about 870 human infections and 457 deaths have been reported to the WHO in 21 international locations, for an total case fatality fee of 53%. However the tempo has slowed, and there have been about 170 infections and 50 deaths within the final seven years. Within the overwhelming majority of circumstances, the contaminated individuals bought it instantly from contaminated birds.
“Between 2005 and 2020, 246 million poultry died or have been culled due to avian influenza,” says the World Group for Animal Well being.
“Since October 2021, an unprecedented variety of outbreaks has been reported in a number of areas of the world, reaching new geographical areas and inflicting devastating impacts on animal well being and welfare,” the Paris-based company says on its web site.
The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention agrees that the present H5N1 outbreak is usually an animal well being problem.
“Nevertheless, individuals ought to keep away from direct and shut contact with sick or useless wild birds, poultry, and wild animals,” it warns on its web site. “Individuals shouldn’t eat raw or undercooked poultry or poultry merchandise, together with uncooked eggs. Consuming correctly cooked poultry, poultry merchandise, and eggs is secure.”
Related Press author Peck reported from Bangkok.