Human cases on the bird flu, also known as H5N1 and the avian influenza, are rare but it has once again struck two people, fatally.
As Latinos Post reported on Monday, three cases of the bird flu were confirmed in Cambodia, and two have passed away. The two that have died were a 15-year-old girl and a 35-year-old man.
Today, two additional cases were confirmed, both fatal.
The two new cases were from a 17-year-old girl and a nine-year-old girl, both from different provinces but pronounced dead at Phnom Penh hospitals.
"This year it is very strong, because we've found two cases already happening in just one week, and on the same day," said Ministry of Health Deputy Director of the Communicable Disease Department Ly Sovan.
The deputy director added that he urge Cambodians not to eat dead poultry, as it can be a safe haven for the virus.
Public awareness campaigns are currently underway in the country, according to IRIN, a service of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
"Ongoing public awareness campaigns need to be reinforced through TV and radio," Cambodia's Communicable Disease Control Department Director Sok Touch. "We're planning on doing this immediately as there is no room for complacency."
The World Health Organization (WHO) is reported to be "working closely" with Cambodia's ministry of health.
According to (WHO), Cambodia has seen 23 people die from the avian influenza since 2003. Of the last decade, only three have survived.
News of the bird flu in Cambodia comes after 40 scientists agreed to resume studying a mutant H5N1 virus that was previously banned. The U.S. is not resuming such studies within the mainland despite previous funding for the experiment.
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