PHNOM PENH, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- A 17-year-old girl from southwest Cambodia's Kampot province has been diagnosed with H5N1 human avian influenza, raising the number of cases to five so far this year, the Ministry of Health said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Laboratory results from the National Institute of Public Health showed on Tuesday that the girl was positive for H5N1 virus," the ministry said.
The patient has the symptoms of fever, cough, fatigue and breathing difficulty, and is currently recovering after receiving intensive care from a team of doctors, the ministry added.
"According to queries, about five days before she fell ill, seven chickens had died at her home," the ministry said.
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 ministry said.
According to the ministry, the five human cases of bird flu this year included four children, with one fatality, and one adult. All patients reportedly had a history of recent exposure to sick or dead poultry prior to their illness.
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. ■