A six-year-old girl from Cambodia 's Southwestern Kampot province died of Avian Influenza H5N1, bringing the death toll to nine and the number of the cases to 13 so far this year, a joint statement by the World Health Organization and Cambodian Health Ministry said Tuesday. The girl was confirmed positive for human H5N1 avian influenza on Friday last week by the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Xinhua quoted the statement as saying. "She developed fever and headache last Monday and her condition worsened with cough and dyspnea." The girl was taken to a private clinic until, last Friday, she was admitted to Kantha Bopha Hospital with fever, dyspnea and cough, it said. "In Kantha Bopha Hospital, the girl was treated with Tamiflu, but died later in the night," it said. "There have been recent poultry deaths in the girl's village and the girl was likely to be exposed to sick and dead poultry before she became sick." "Avian influenza H5N1 remains a serious threat to the health of all Cambodians. This is the 13th case of H5N1 infection in humans this year," Health Minister Mam Bunheng said in the statement. He said children also seem to be most vulnerable and are at high risk because they like to play where poultry are found. "I urge parents and guardians to keep children away from sick or dead poultry and prevent them from playing with chickens and ducks," he said. "Parents and guardians must also make sure children wash their hands with soap and water after any contact with poultry." H5N1 influenza is a flu that normally spreads between sick poultry, but it can sometimes spread from poultry to humans, the statement said, adding that it is a very serious disease that requires hospitalization.
