Cambodia Reports Fourth Bird Flu Death in 2025
Cambodia reports its fourth bird flu death of 2025, involving an 11-year-old boy, with increasing cases highlighting ongoing public health concerns related to avian influenza.
Cambodia has announced its fourth fatality from bird flu in 2025, marking a significant increase from previous years. The latest case involves an 11-year-old boy from Kampong Speu province in western Cambodia. He was admitted to hospital with symptoms including fever, cough, and difficulty breathing before passing away on Tuesday. Diagnostic tests conducted by the Pasteur Institute of Cambodia confirmed that he was infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus.
Authorities reported that a week prior to the boy's symptoms, there were reports of sick and dying chickens and ducks near his residence, indicating a possible link between the poultry outbreak and the human infection.
This death follows other recent cases, including a 28-year-old man who raised poultry at home and died of bird flu in January 2025, as well as two children aged two and three who succumbed to the virus in February and March respectively.
The H5N1 virus primarily spreads to humans through direct contact with infected birds or contaminated environments such as farms and live animal markets. Despite its zoonotic potential, human-to-human transmission remains rare.
Overall, Cambodia has recorded 43 bird flu-related deaths since 2003, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). After a period of no cases from 2014 to 2022, the virus has shown an uptick with four deaths in 2023 and two in 2024, highlighting ongoing risks in the region.
Health officials continue to monitor and respond to outbreaks, emphasizing the importance of biosecurity and safe poultry handling practices to prevent further human cases.
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